Breast rehabilitation of mastectomized women and sexual function

Abstract

Introduction: Breast cancer (BC) and surgery for its treatment is particularly burdensome for a woman's overall health, including her sexual function. Purpose: The purpose of the study was to investigate the effect of breast reconstruction surgery on the sexual function of women with BC. Materials and Methods: A pilot cross-sectional and comparative study was conducted. We included 25 women who had undergone breast reconstruction surgery after mastectomy for BC and 25 women who had not undergone breast reconstruction, at least six months after mastectomy. The data were collected between February and May 2023 and involved outpatients of the breast unit of a public hospital in Athens. Data collection was performed with a demographic data form and The Changes In Sexual Functioning Questionnaire-Female (CSFQ-14-F). Results: 96% of women who underwent breast reconstruction were younger than 64 years. Age (p=0.002) and educational level (p=0.017) had a statistically significant effect on sexual function in all women. Women with ΒC who have undergone breast reconstruction surgery had a significantly higher mean score in all subscales and in the total score of the CSFQ-F-14 (p<0.001). Conclusions: Women with ΒC and breast reconstruction have better sexual function compared to those who did not undergo reconstruction after mastectomy. The sexual function of the woman with BC is affected in all aspects by the disease and the treatments and needs a careful and timely approach by healthcare professionals.