Sexualidade e mastectomia: revisão integrativa

Abstract

Introduction: The treatment of breast cancer modifies the female silhouette and directly affects the body self-image, bringing psychological damage that influences sexuality and quality of life. The surgical procedure is the treatment that most impacts sexuality, however, another variable such as hormone therapy should be considered. This study aimed to carry out an integrative review seeking to understand the impact of mastectomy on the sexuality of women who underwent mastectomy. Methodology: This is an integrative literature review, covering articles from 2017 to 2021 available in the databases: SCIELO, LILACS, PUBMED, CENTRAL COCHRANE LIBRARY, PEDRO, CINAHL and from August to September 2021, which were selected publications from the last five years that dealt with the proposed topic in title and abstract. Clinical trials and articles on masculinizing mastectomy and/or breast reconstruction were excluded. In the end, four articles were selected and analyzed using validated scales to identify possible biases. Results: The selected articles highlighted impairment in all phases of the sexual response cycle, with the perception of body self-image being the major impairment responsible for these changes. Conclusion: The sexual health of women with mastectomies will be directly affected, due to the psychological burden of breast loss and dysfunction in the perception of body self-image, causing a worsening in quality of life.