Review

SEXUAL LIFE AFTER SURGERY İN BREAST CANCER

  • Neriman Akyolcu

Received Date: 03.12.2007 Accepted Date: 06.03.2008 Eur J Breast Health 2008;4(2):77-83

Surgical intervention in breast cancer, is a frequently used treatment procedure and basic support especially for localized cases that have no distance metastasis. These interventions such as mastectomy and breast conservation which are applied for breast cancer, cause some sexuality problems that influence sexual life negatively due to deformation of woman body image. The results of researches have shown that the mastectomy with the reconstruction of breast has a partly better; breast conservation therapy has the best influence on sexual life of the patients compare to negative influence of mastectomy itself. It is required to develop methods to cope with the disorder of the sexual functions at various levels in women who have breast cancer. If it is necessary, the support groups or therapeutic methods should be applied. It is important that nurses and the other health professionals to gain the confidence of the patient and her family with behaving in aware of their role and responsibilities to take precautions that will lead to a meaningful and qualified life for the patients with breast cancer who had several problems other than their sexual life.

Keywords: Breast cancer, sexual life, sexual dysfunctions, surgery intervention, copes