SITTING TIME, BODY IMAGE AND QUALITY OF LIFE IN WOMEN AFTER BREAST CANCER SURGERY

Introduction: Surgery is one of the modalities of treatment for breast cancer and can be conservative or radical. This type of treatment can bring physical and psychological changes to the life of the patients. Objective: To analyze the influence of the radical surgery and conservative surgery on the sitting time, body image and quality of life in women diagnosed with breast cancer. Methods: Participated in the study 172 women who underwent radical or conservative breast cancer surgery. A questionnaire was applied including data that involved personal characteristics, anthropometric measures, economic status (IBGE), characteristics of the disease, sitting time (IPAQ-short version), body image (BIBCQ) and quality of life (EORTC QLQ-C30 + QLQ BR-23). For statistical analysis the Chi-square test or Fisher's exact test, Student T test for independent samples, and Mann-Whitney U test were used. Results: Patients who underwent radical surgery had longer sitting times at weekends, more reports of lymphedema, worse quality of life scores (physical function, pain, functional scale, body image and arm symptoms), and worse body image (vulnerability, stigma, limitations, transparency, and concerns about the arm). Conclusion: The type of surgery can influence sitting time and aspects of body image and quality of life, with worse scores for women undergoing radical surgery.