A study which aimed to examine sexual function in long-term female survivors of genital-tract cancer found that these women were pleased with their cancer care, but less satisfied with the emotional support they received regarding the effect of the disease and of the treatments on their sexuality. The study was performed at the University of Chicago and led by Stacy Lindau, MD.

While 74 percent of women in the survey believed that their doctor should have initiated discussion on their sexuality in relation to their cancer care, 62 percent of women said that their doctors never brought up a discussion of the effects of their treatment on their sexuality. Women who did not have such a discussion were three times as likely to suffer from multiple sexual problems.

"It seems unbelievable to me," said one respondent, "that a surgeon would remove one's sexual organs and never talk about sex."

The cancer survivors were just as likely to be married and in sexual relationships, but were four times as likely to have problems that interfered with sex, including pain, difficulty lubricating, surgical scars, bladder infections and incontinence after sex

Diehl Martin of Guntersville, Alabama, has been battling pancreatic cancer since 2004 and shares his experience on his blog, DiehlMartin.com . Martin was diagnosed in 2004 and underwent a Whipple procedure that year, followed by radiation and chemotherapy treatments. At the end of 2006, he experienced a turnaround as his energy level returned, his pain was eliminated and his tumor marker level was back to normal. Recently, his cancer has rebounded and he shares his experience with increasingly aggressive chemotherapy.

In addition to his daily experiences with pancreatic cancer, Martin offers medical information from a patient's perspective, including details regarding the side effects of painkillers, what a typical chemotherapy infusion looks like and what is involved in a Whipple procedure.

Martin infuses his blog with a strong sense of his faith and cautions that his story is not the typical pancreatic cancer story, as his cancer was caught very early. Martin's generosity of spirit pours out through his words and his ability to see the silver lining in every cloud is inspirational.