Avaliação da qualidade de vida e função sexual de mulheres mastectomizadas – Estudo epidemiológico

Abstract

Introduction: Despite breast cancer being the most prevalent malignancy among women worldwide and the significant advances in early detection, the relevance of discussing the physical, emotional, and social sequelae resulting from treatment remains underexplored. Objective: To describe the quality of life and sexual function of women who underwent mastectomy. Methodology: This was an observational, quantitative study conducted with 59 participants. The Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy – Breast Plus Arm Morbidity (FACT-B+4) was used to assess overall quality of life, upper limb morbidity, and breast cancer–specific concerns. The Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) was applied to evaluate female sexual response across the domains of sexual desire, vaginal lubrication, orgasm, sexual satisfaction, and pain. Data were collected remotely, and a significance level of α = 0.05 was adopted. Results: The mean FACT-B+4 scores indicated moderate levels of quality of life, with the social/family well-being and functional well-being domains showing more positive results, while physical well-being received the lowest evaluations. The mean total FSFI score was 15.95, below the cutoff point of 26.55, indicating the presence of sexual dysfunction among the mastectomized women evaluated. Conclusion: The study revealed moderate levels of quality of life, impairment of physical well-being, and the presence of sexual dysfunction in women who underwent mastectomy.