EP 57: When Cancer Enters a Relationship

When cancer enters a relationship, how do you keep talking, stay close, and understand what each other needs?

A diagnosis can affect communication, intimacy, and the roles partners play in each other’s lives. But staying connected doesn’t have to mean keeping everything the way it was. Sometimes it means having an uncomfortable conversation, asking for support, or finding a different way to be close.

In this episode, Ken, who has been living with neuroendocrine cancer since 2016, and his wife Cindy share honest reflections on facing uncertainty together. They talk about the instinct to protect each other, balancing caregiving with self-care, and the small, everyday gestures that make them feel loved.

Psychologist Dr. Joelle Kruml explores how couples can navigate changing roles, communicate their needs, and expand their understanding of intimacy. Hematologist Dr. Sigrun Einarsdottir discusses sexual intimacy during treatment, gaps in the available evidence, and why patients and clinicians need to make room for these conversations.

Hosted by Jessica Thomas, NETRF’s Director of Patient Education, this episode explores:

• Staying connected as partners while navigating patient and caregiver roles
• Sharing worries instead of carrying them alone
• Making space for both partners’ needs
• Finding emotional and physical closeness when intimacy changes
• Talking with your care team about sexual activity during treatment
• Seeking support from friends, support groups, and mental health professionals

Whether you’re a patient, partner, or caregiver, this conversation offers practical perspectives on communication, intimacy, and finding your way through cancer together.

Learn more about neuroendocrine cancer research, education, and patient resources at NETRF.org.

NETWise is produced by Deren Abram at Two24Media for the Neuroendocrine Tumor Research Foundation.