For women with breast cancer, breast conservative therapy (BCT) is associated with better sexual well -being, compared to the mastectomy followed by breast reconstruction, reports a study in the March edition of Plastic and reconstructive surgery®, the official medical magazine of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASP). The magazine is published in the Lippincott portfolio by Wolters Kluwer.
“In our study, patients undergoing BCT obtained consistently higher scores in a measure of sexual well -being, compared to total mastectomy and breast reconstruction,” says Jonas A. Nelson, MD, MPH or Memorial Sloan Center, New York. “The findings highlight the need for greater attention to sexuality by discussing breast cancer treatment options.”
Sexual well -being after breast cancer surgery: BCT versus PMBR
Many women with breast cancer have sexual health problems. In previous studies, up to 85% of breast cancer patient report report sexual dysfunction, but few receive some medical guide for sexual dysfunction.
For many patients, BCT, sometimes called “lumpectomy”, offers an effective alternative to mastectomy. For those who undergo mastectomy, breast reconstruction have established benefits in terms of quality of life and self -celebration.
Few studies of breast cancer treatment have focused on sexual well -being, especially to compare the results of BCT versus the postmastectomy breast reconstruction (PMBR). Using the validated breast questionnaire, Dr. Nelson and his colleagues analyzed sex welfare scores for 15,857 patients who underwent breast cancer surgery between 2010 and 2022.
About 54% of patients underwent BCT and 46% had PBMR. The scores on a sexual attraction of the sexual welfare subscale, sexual attractiveness, sexual trust and the duration of the level of comfort are compared between the groups, including long -term monitoring when it can be missed.
Better recovery after BCT; Few patients receive sexual medicine consultation
Before surgery, the two groups had similar average scores for sexual well -being: 62 in the BCT and 59 group in the PBMR group (on a scale of 0 to 100). At six months, the sex welfare score in the BCT group had improved at 66 and remained around that level to five years.
At all times, women subjected to PBMR had lower sexual well -being scores, compared to BCT. The average score at six months was 49, improving 53 with a longer tracking. The sexual welfare score was only a lower average, 41 for patients who had not yet completed breast reconstruction at the end of the study period,
In general, the scores averaged 7.6 higher points in the BCT group. Sexual welfare was significantly correlated with scores in other breast-Q domains, including the physical well-being of the chest, satisfaction with the breasts and psychosocial well-being.
Despite the impact on sexual welfare, only 3.5% of the BCT group and 5.4% of the PBMR group received a sexual medicine consultation, which was available from a service dedicated to the authors’ cancer center. “After adjusting for other factors, patients with PBMR had approximately half of the probability of receiving a sexual medicine consultation.
The study adds to prior evidence that women subjected to BCT for breast cancer recover sexually well -being, compared to PMBR. “For breast cancer patients who are eligible for BCT or mastectomy, BCT can be the superior option for patients who want to maintain their sexual well -being,” writers write.
The authors also emphasize the need to consider and discuss the impact of breast cancer surgery on sexual welfare. Dr. Nelson concludes: “Although many patios have low sexual health, most do not receive sexual medicine consultation, it suggests an opportunity for suppliers to improve breast cancer” sexual health. “
Plastic and reconstructive surgery® is published by Wolters Kluwer.
Click here to read “The therapy that preserves the breast retains sexual well -being rather than the reconstruction of the postmastectomy breasts: trends, factors and interventions”
Article: “The therapy that preserves the breast retains sexual well -being rather than the reconstruction of the postmastectomy breasts: trends, factors and interventions” (DOI: 10.1097/PRS.00000000011657)
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