Keywords
Mastectomy
Sexual health
Nursing
Physiological sexual dysfunctions
How to Cite
Copyright © | All rights reserved.
The journal holds the exclusive copyright for the publication of this article under the terms of Brazilian law 9610/98.
Partial reproduction
The use of parts of the texts, figures and questionnaire of the article is free, being mandatory the citation of the authors and journal.
Total reproduction
It is expressly prohibited and must be authorized by the journal.
Abstract
Objective: To investigate factors associated with sexual dysfunction in women undergoing surgical treatment for breast cancer. Method: Observational, cross-sectional study conducted at the Pernambuco Cancer Hospital between August and November 2020, with 120 women undergoing breast surgery. The Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) questionnaire and a sociodemographic and clinical instrument were used. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS v.21.0, with a significance level of p≤0.05. Results: The prevalence of sexual dysfunction was 75%. Significant associations were found with age (p<0.001) and stable relationship status (p=0.002). Women undergoing radical surgery had a higher prevalence of dysfunction (p=0.044), and 83.3% of those who did not undergo breast reconstruction had dysfunction. Desire and arousal scores were higher among women who underwent non-radical surgeries, although not statistically significant. Conclusion: Sexual dysfunction was prevalent in the sample and was associated with factors such as age, type of surgery, and absence of breast reconstruction. The study highlights the need for nursing strategies focused on comprehensive care, including female sexual health, with potential impact on healthcare and professional training.
References
AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY. Types of mastectomy. 2017. Disponível em: https://www.cancer.org. Acesso em: 15 de dezembro de 2025.
ARCHANGELO EB, et al. Evaluation of sexual function in women submitted to different surgical approaches for breast cancer. Revista Brasileira de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia, 2019; 41(1): 9–15.
BOQUIREN MT, et al. Sexual functioning in breast cancer survivors experiencing body image disturbance. Psycho-Oncology, 2016; 25(2): 173–181.
BRASIL. Instituto Nacional de Câncer José Alencar Gomes da Silva. Estimativa 2020: incidência de câncer no Brasil. Rio de Janeiro: INCA, 2020, 120p.
CLAYTON AH, JUAREZ E. Female sexual dysfunction. Psychiatric Clinics, 2019; 42(4): 593–607.
DEN OUDEN MEM, et al. Prevalence of sexual dysfunction in patients with cancer: A systematic review of 47 studies. Gynecologic Oncology, 2018; 148(3): 722–730.
FERREIRA M, et al. Quality of life and sexual function of women with breast cancer undergoing adjuvant chemotherapy. Revista Latino-Americana de Enfermagem, 2015; 23(5): 889–896.
GASS JS, et al. Sexual functioning and quality of life after breast cancer surgery: A prospective study. Annals of Surgical Oncology, 2017; 24(10): 2760–2766.
INCA – INSTITUTO NACIONAL DE CÂNCER. Estimativa 2019: incidência de câncer no Brasil. Rio de Janeiro: INCA, 2019a.
JENG CJ, et al. Breast cancer surgery and sexual function: A prospective study. Psycho-Oncology, 2020; 29(6): 1083–1089.
JING Y, et al. Prevalence of sexual dysfunction in women with breast cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Supportive Care in Cancer, 2019; 27(4): 1171–1180.
MAIORINO MI, et al. Sexual dysfunction in women with cancer: a systematic review. Endocrine, 2016; 52(2): 339–345.
MIAJA MF, et al. The role of the partner in sexual satisfaction after treatment for breast cancer. Breast Cancer (Dove Medical Press), 2017; 9: 131–137.
OLIVEIRA GS, QUELUZ M. Espiritualidade e qualidade de vida de mulheres com câncer de mama em tratamento quimioterápico. Revista Brasileira de Enfermagem, 2016; 69(6): 1160–1165.
OZTURK D, AKYOLCU N. The effect of breast cancer surgery type on sexual function and body image. European Journal of Breast Health, 2016; 12(3): 145–150.
PATERSON CL, et al. What is the relationship between sexual problems and quality of life in breast cancer survivors? A systematic review of the literature. Sexual Medicine Reviews, 2016; 4(3): 304–313.
PEART O. Breast intervention and breast cancer treatment options. Radiologic Technology, 2015; 86(5): 535–558.
PORTSCHY PR, et al. Survival outcomes after contralateral prophylactic mastectomy: A decision analysis. Journal of the National Cancer Institute, 2014; 106(8): 1–9.
REESE JB, et al. Patient-reported outcomes and sexual health in women with breast cancer. Journal of Sexual Medicine, 2019; 16(5): 757–767.
ROJAS KE, et al. Postoperative sexual function in women undergoing breast cancer surgery. Journal of the American College of Surgeons, 2017b; 225(5): 812–817.
SANTOS DB, et al. Sexualidade e câncer de mama: revisão integrativa. Revista de Enfermagem UFPE, 2016; 10(10): 3861–3868.
SCAVELLO RJ, et al. Female sexual dysfunction. The Medical Clinics of North America, 2019; 103(4): 681–698.
SOLDERA SV, et al. Sexual function and quality of life in breast cancer survivors: A cross-sectional study. Supportive Care in Cancer, 2018; 26(12): 4091–4098.
ST-PIERRE A, et al. Prevalence of sexual dysfunctions in cancer survivors: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Cancer Survivorship, 2017; 11(6): 712–725.
WHO – WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION. Breast cancer: prevention and control. Genebra: WHO, 2019.