When a diagnosis of prostate cancer is first made men and their partners have a myriad of questions for their doctor. One concern that occasionally comes up during these discussions is whether or not there is a chance that a prostate cancer sufferer can transmit any form of cancer to their partner during sexual intercourse.

Although there may be many difficulties for the partner of a prostate cancer sufferer to overcome, they do not need to be afraid that their afflicted mate can in any way pass any form of cancer to them. Prostate cancer is not an infection or contagious disease and it is caused by a combination of genetics, environment, aging and in many cases simply by chance.

For anyone who has ever believed in this myth it may just be simple ignorance of the disease and its etiology or even simple fear. There also may be some confusion because a common cancer affecting female sexual organs – cervical cancer – has now been found to be caused in many cases by a sexually transmitted disease, the human papillomavirus or HPV.

HPV is a condition that affects both men and women and produces no symptoms. It is as common in sexually active teenagers as it is in the adult population. So if a prostate cancer victim is also infected with the HPV virus they may be putting their female partner at risk of developing cervical cancer during intercourse but because of that infection, not the prostate cancer from which they suffer.

Prostate cancer can of course wreck havoc on the sex life of the patient in other ways. Impotence is a common side effect of the treatments used to fight prostate cancer, and the effects can be long lasting. The fatigue caused by radiation can also rob a man of his virility during treatment. Hormone therapy changes testosterone levels, which also results in impotence.

This aside, if they are physically and emotionally capable of having relations with their partner a prostate cancer patient can do so without having to fear that they will be putting their chosen partner at any greater risk for developing cancer than they already are.