TY - JOUR
T1 - Breast-Specific Sensuality and Sexual Function in Cancer Survivorship
T2 - Does Surgical Modality Matter?
AU - Gass, Jennifer S.
AU - Onstad, Michaela
AU - Pesek, Sarah
AU - Rojas, Kristin
AU - Fogarty, Sara
AU - Stuckey, Ashley
AU - Raker, Christina
AU - Dizon, Don S.
PY - 2017/10/1
Y1 - 2017/10/1
N2 - Purpose: More early-staged breast cancer patients are choosing mastectomy. No studies have addressed breast-specific sensuality (BSS), defined as the breast’s role during intimacy. We explored BSS among women undergoing lumpectomy (L), mastectomy alone (M), or with reconstruction (MR) and analyzed the association of surgical modality with sexual function. Methods: Women undergoing breast cancer surgery between 2000 and 2013 were eligible for survey using investigator-generated questions and the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI). Demographic and surgical data were collected by chart review. The Kruskal–Wallis test was used to analyze FSFI scores, and χ2 or Fisher’s exact tests were used for categorical data. Results: Of 453 invited participants, 268 (59%) completed the survey. Of these, 69.4, 22.4, and 8.2% underwent L, MR, or M, respectively. The importance of the breast/chest wall during intimacy declined significantly regardless of surgical modality (L 83–74%, p = 0.0006; M 95–47%, p = 0.003; MR 93–77%, p = 0.002). No difference in sexual function was found between L, MR, and M (median FSFI score 28.2, 27.5, 25.9, respectively; p = 1.0). Comparing L versus MR, higher FSFI scores resulted with appearance satisfaction (29.0 vs. 22.6 p = 0.002) and preserved BSS as pleasurable breast caress (28.8 vs. 26.5, p = 0.04) and the breast as part of intimacy (28.8 vs. 24.8, p = 0.1). Conclusions: Breast cancer surgery is associated with lowered BSS. However, BSS and appearance satisfaction scores are better for L and appear to correlate with improved sexual function postoperatively. These data may guide surgical counseling and contribute to survivorship outcomes.
AB - Purpose: More early-staged breast cancer patients are choosing mastectomy. No studies have addressed breast-specific sensuality (BSS), defined as the breast’s role during intimacy. We explored BSS among women undergoing lumpectomy (L), mastectomy alone (M), or with reconstruction (MR) and analyzed the association of surgical modality with sexual function. Methods: Women undergoing breast cancer surgery between 2000 and 2013 were eligible for survey using investigator-generated questions and the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI). Demographic and surgical data were collected by chart review. The Kruskal–Wallis test was used to analyze FSFI scores, and χ2 or Fisher’s exact tests were used for categorical data. Results: Of 453 invited participants, 268 (59%) completed the survey. Of these, 69.4, 22.4, and 8.2% underwent L, MR, or M, respectively. The importance of the breast/chest wall during intimacy declined significantly regardless of surgical modality (L 83–74%, p = 0.0006; M 95–47%, p = 0.003; MR 93–77%, p = 0.002). No difference in sexual function was found between L, MR, and M (median FSFI score 28.2, 27.5, 25.9, respectively; p = 1.0). Comparing L versus MR, higher FSFI scores resulted with appearance satisfaction (29.0 vs. 22.6 p = 0.002) and preserved BSS as pleasurable breast caress (28.8 vs. 26.5, p = 0.04) and the breast as part of intimacy (28.8 vs. 24.8, p = 0.1). Conclusions: Breast cancer surgery is associated with lowered BSS. However, BSS and appearance satisfaction scores are better for L and appear to correlate with improved sexual function postoperatively. These data may guide surgical counseling and contribute to survivorship outcomes.
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U2 - 10.1245/s10434-017-5905-4
DO - 10.1245/s10434-017-5905-4
M3 - Article
C2 - 28608119
AN - SCOPUS:85020721992
SN - 1068-9265
VL - 24
SP - 3133
EP - 3140
JO - Annals of surgical oncology
JF - Annals of surgical oncology
IS - 11
ER -