It doesn't matter : Female sexuality and breast cancer

This paper addresses an empirical approach of an understudied area related to the sexuality of women with breast cancer. It is based on the assumption that the body image and the sexuality is associated with traditional ideas about being a woman, especially women living in a rural and semi-rural environment. In that context the exercise of sexuality is considered like a sin and it is not recognised as a dimension of human development, or an aspect of quality of life. A descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted on 120 women participants diagnosed with some form of breast cancer, and treated in the State of Nayarit Cancer Centre. The EORT-C30 and QLQ-BR23 questionnaires were used to evaluate quality of life, body image and sexual functioning. The most important outcomes point to sexuality being an avoided issue, both for the patients and medical oncologists. Myths and taboos persist regarding sexuality and motherhood; women said that the area was unimportant for them. Marital relationships cause stress, anxiety and worry that add to the struggle for survival with cancer, thus the psycho-oncological care should focus on these aspects to improve the quality of life. (C) 2016 Sociedad Mexicana de Oncologia. Published by Masson Doyma Mexico S.A.