Qualidade de vida em grupos de mulheres acometidas de câncer de mama

The impact of mastectomy on body image and sexuality in women with breast cancer: a systematic review

Objective: The study aims to evaluate the impact of mastectomy on body image and sexuality of women with breast cancer, as well as to provide a general understanding of their quality of life. Method: This review followed the PRISMA guidelines. The expression “Mastectomy AND (sexuality OR “body image”)” was searched in Lilacs, Scielo, Pubmed and Scopus databases. Articles published in English, Portuguese and Spanish between 2010 and 2020 were selected. The text analysis was carried out by peers. Results: 69.3% (43) of the studies presented mastectomy as a technique that worsens body image, sexual functioning and quality of life of women. Less radical procedures, such as breast-conserving surgery, showed lower impact on these indicators. Breast reconstruction is an alternative to mitigate breast surgery impacts. Conclusion: Mastectomy caused the major impacts on body image, sexual functioning and quality of life. These implications need to be considered during therapeutic choice.

Health-Related Quality of Life in Patients with Breast Cancer in Latin America and the Caribbean: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background and Objectives

Breast cancer (BC) is the most common cancer in women. It imposes a huge disease burden and a significant impact on health‐related quality of life (HRQoL). Our study focused on HRQoL of patients with BC in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC). We conducted a systematic review to identify relevant articles published between 2008 and August 2018. We conducted several meta‐analyses and subgroup analyses by country, disease stage, and instrument used (Prospective Register Of Systematic Reviews registration number: CRD42018106835).

Results

From 2,265 initial references, we finally included 75 articles (8,806 participants) that assessed HRQoL. The European Organization for the Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire C30 and B23 modules (34 studies; 8 countries; 4,866 participants) were the most used instruments, followed by the Short Form 36‐item, the abbreviated version of the World Health Organization Quality of Life instrument, and the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy – Breast instrument. Only four studies reported specific HRQoL data of patients with metastatic disease. Half the studies were rated as having moderate quality (38/75), and 38% (29/75) as high quality. We identified substantial heterogeneity. As expected, the meta‐analyses revealed that patients with metastatic disease reported lower HRQoL values and high symptom burden compared with patients at earlier stages. Similar results can be observed when we compared patients with early breast cancer in active treatment phases versus those in follow‐up.

Conclusion

This study provides a synthesis of breast cancer HRQoL reported in LAC and exposes existing evidence gaps. Patients with BC in active treatment or with metastatic disease had worse HRQoL compared with survivors during the follow‐up period.

Implications for Practice

This systematic review provides an exhaustive synthesis of breast cancer health‐related quality of life in women in the Latin American and Caribbean region. Patients with breast cancer in active treatment or with metastatic disease had worse health‐related quality of life compared with survivors during the different follow‐up periods. This study also shows important evidence and methods gaps that can help inform future research.

This review reports the health‐related quality of life for patients with breast cancer living in Latin American countries and explores relationships with disease stage and treatment in real‐world settings.

O padrão de consumo de álcool entre as usuárias das Unidades de Saúde da Família no município do Recife (PE)

RESUMO Pesquisas internacionais e nacionais apontam o aumento expressivo de mulheres com consumo abusivo de álcool, e este consumo gera danos sociais, psicológicos e biológicos em suas vidas. O objetivo do presente estudo foi avaliar os padrões do consumo de álcool por mulheres cadastradas nas Unidades de Saúde da Família no município do Recife (PE). Trata de um estudo exploratório descritivo de abordagem quantitativa, que provém de uma pesquisa original, através de uma amostra definida de 864 mulheres com idades iguais ou superiores a 18 anos. Utilizou um questionário sociodemográfico e o Teste para Identificação de Problemas Relacionados ao uso do Álcool. Os padrões de riscos encontrados entre as participantes foram: 57,9% não bebem; 23,7% bebem de baixo risco; 11,9% bebem de médio risco; e 6,3% bebem de alto risco; predominantemente mulheres jovens, na faixa etária de 18 a 39 anos; sem trabalho e com ensino fundamental. Verificou-se que 54,93% faziam uso abusivo de bebidas alcoólicas em dia típico e 22,93% sofreram ocorrência de apagão alcoólico. Esses resultados evidenciam a importância da elaboração de estratégias de cunho preventivo e da redução de danos diante do beber, para a assistência à saúde da mulher.

Patient reported outcome measures (PROMs) following mastectomy with breast reconstruction or without reconstruction: a systematic review

The cornerstone of reconstructive surgery following mastectomy is to restore cosmesis and improve physical and psychological health. Consequently, it has become essential for instruments that measure surgical outcomes to include the direct perspective of patients. Many reviews have failed to show significant improvements in quality of life domains following breast reconstruction compared to mastectomy alone. However, with advances in surgical techniques and patient reported outcome measure (PROM) assessment tools designed precisely for breast reconstruction patients, a modern systematic review is warranted. An electronic literature review was performed using CINAHL, Cochrane Library and Medline (using PubMed) comparing patient reported outcome measures of patients undergoing mastectomy alone versus patients undergoing mastectomy with breast reconstruction. Studies in the English and Portuguese languages since the year 2000 were included. The review was undertaken adhering to PRISMA guidelines with last entry on the 31/5/2018. Full text review yield 42 articles of relevance to the inclusion criteria. The most widely used PROM instruments such as Breast-Q, EORTC-Q30/Q23, Short Form 36, FACT-B and others are explored. The specific difficulties conducting such studies and biases identified are investigated further. Studies comparing mastectomy alone against mastectomy with reconstruction show difficulties forming groups with similar clinical and epidemiological characteristics. There are inherent limitations to performing a randomised controlled trial on this topic, including matching patient groups in terms of age, socioeconomical background and cancer staging, and this affects the results of the PROM instruments. Within these limitations, the literature suggests that PROM support the use of breast reconstruction following mastectomy but care must be made selecting patients. The finding is supported by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) guidelines which state that breast reconstruction should be offered to all women undergoing breast cancer surgery.

THE BREAST RECONSTRUCTION PROCESS OF WOMEN WITH BREAST CANCER: A THEORETICAL MODEL

ABSTRACT Objective: to build a theoretical model on the experience and meaning of the breast reconstruction process in women with breast cancer. Method: a qualitative research using Grounded Theory and Symbolic Interactionism as theoretical-methodological frameworks. Data collection and analysis occurred simultaneously, from April to October 2015, through theoretical sampling and theoretical saturation of the categories. Theoretical sample with 31 participants, 21 women and 10 health professionals, interviewed at home or at work, comprising four sample groups. Results: the theoretical model “Women face challenges and overcome difficulties: fear of death, breast mutilation and breast reconstruction, changing the way of being a woman” offers an explanation of the phenomenon and emerged from the systematic interrelation of the 11 study categories, with three causal categories, one category representing the context, five categories of intervening conditions, the strategies and the consequences represented by one category each. Conclusion: this study demonstrates the experience of the breast reconstruction process for women with breast cancer, the meaning of overcoming difficulties, value life and oneself, putting themselves first, taking care of themselves and learning to change, to be more tolerant, to value material things less and to face life with courage and faith. It also indicates that research on theoretical models on issues that plague our professional practices can enhance teaching and science and, consequently, improve care in women's health.

Intervenções Grupais para Mulheres com Câncer de Mama: Desafios e Possibilidades

Resumo Este estudo teve por objetivo analisar a produção científica nacional e internacional sobre os grupos de reabilitação psicossocial para mulheres com câncer de mama. O levantamento bibliográfico foi realizado a partir das bases indexadoras LILACS, PubMed, PsycINFO e CINAHL. Foram selecionados 28 artigos, publicados no período de 2000 a 2015, que constituíram o corpus do estudo. Os achados foram agrupados por meio de análise de conteúdo. Os resultados evidenciaram que os grupos de apoio podem resultar em benefícios psicossociais, como redução de estresse, incremento da qualidade de vida, melhora do humor e compartilhamento de informações sobre as diversas opções de tratamentos disponíveis. Conclui-se que participar de grupos de apoio está associado a melhores desfechos psicológicos, contudo, não há evidências que comprovem aumento na expectativa de vida das mulheres.

[The use of virtual communities in the support to patients with breast cancer]

Thinking about virtual communities as a space for interaction and the sharing of experiences, especially among individuals affected by chronic diseases, the scope of this study was to analyze the role and nature of support offered by virtual communities to breast cancer patients. It is a descriptive study with a qualitative approach. For data collection, the Netvizz application was used extracting data from the first five Facebook open breast cancer groups in the year 2016. There were 2921 posts, totaling 1722 comments. For data analysis a word cloud was created through WordArt, and the most recurrent words were discussed in cross-sectional categories: I, confessional, vs. you, interactional; therapeutic process, religiosity and the "Intervention Window." The results show that the support offered in these spaces occurs especially in the informational and emotional spheres, ranging from the diagnosis phase to the control of the disease. The understanding of the significance of the information shared in the virtual communities by women with breast cancer can contribute to the practice of care that is not restricted to the biological and technical approaches, but rather a more comprehensive and effective approach to holistic care.

Quality of Life after an Episode of Severe Maternal Morbidity: Evidence from a Cohort Study in Brazil

OBJECTIVE

To assess quality of life (QOL) in women who experienced a severe maternal morbidity (SMM) event and associated factors, in comparison to those who did not.

STUDY DESIGN

Retrospective cohort study performed at the maternity of the University of Campinas in Brazil, including 801 women with or without SMM, within 6 months to 5 years after delivery. Women were interviewed by phone and data were electronically stored, using the Brazilian version of the SF36 to assess women's self-perception of quality of life. To analyze a possible relationship between SMM and perceived impairment in quality of life, χ2 and Fisher's Exact tests were used. Multiple analysis using Generalized Linear Models was applied to identify factors independently associated with the general health score. The main outcome measures were general and domain-specific SF36 scores on quality of life.

RESULTS

Maternal morbidity conditions were associated with lower scores of patient perceptions of quality of life in the following domains: physical functioning, role-limiting physical, pain, and general health status. A lower level of school education, not having a partner, caesarean section, and history of previous clinical conditions were associated with a worse perception of general health and quality of life.

CONCLUSION

Health professionals should know the association between life conditions, previous chronic health conditions, and SMM for women during prenatal care to beyond 42 weeks postpartum. Longitudinal and interdisciplinary actions should be put into practice to provide healthcare for these women, with special emphasis on the effective reduction in health inequities.

Breast cancer mortality and associated factors in São Paulo State, Brazil: an ecological analysis

OBJECTIVE

Identify the factors associated with the age-standardised breast cancer mortality rate in the municipalities of State of São Paulo (SSP), Brazil, in the period from 2006 to 2012.

DESIGN

Ecological study of the breast cancer mortality rate standardised by age, as the dependent variable, having each of the 645 municipalities in the SSP as the unit of analysis.

SETTINGS

The female resident population aged 15 years or older, by age group and municipality, in 2009 (mid-term), obtained from public dataset (Informatics Department of the Unified Health System).

PARTICIPANTS

Women 15 years or older who died of breast cancer in the SSP were selected for the calculation of the breast cancer mortality rate, according to the municipality and age group, from 2006 to 2012.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Mortality rates for each municipality calculated by the direct standardisation method, using the age structure of the population of SSP in 2009 as the standard.

RESULTS

In the final linear regression model, breast cancer mortality, in the municipal level, was directly associated with rates of nulliparity (p<0.0001), mammography (p<0.0001) and private healthcare (p=0.006).

CONCLUSIONS

The findings that mammography ratio was associated, in the municipal level, with increased mortality add to the evidence of a probable overestimation of benefits and underestimation of risks associated with this form of screening. The same paradoxical trend of increased mortality with screening was found in recent individual-level studies, indicating the need to expand informed choice for patients, primary prevention actions and individualised screening. Additional studies should be conducted to explore if there is a causality link in this association.

Quality of life in women with breast cancer, after surgical intervention, in a city in the zona da mata region in Minas Gerais, Brazil

Abstract Objectives: To evaluate health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in women with breast cancer, after surgical intervention, attended at the regional Oncology Referral Hospital in Juiz de Fora (MG). Methods: 121 women were evaluated and the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer, Breast Cancer-Specific Quality of Life Questionnaire (EORTC QLC 30 BR23) was applied. After the descriptive analysis, a multiple linear regression model was created. The SPSS 14 was used to build the database and to conduct the analysis. Results: the mean values of the EORTC QLC 30 BR23 showed a tendency for good HRQoL, thus, the functional scale showed the most impairment with the worst mean scores observed. There was statistical significance among the symptoms scale and obese women who underwent adjuvant radiotherapy and those who had a greater number of dissected lymph nodes. The subjective perceptions influenced all the EORTC QLC 30 BR23domains. Conclusions: after controlling the variable by functional hand, and time of surgery, the BMI variables, breast reconstruction, heavy feeling in the arm, range of motion (ROM) reduction of the shoulder, and the tight shirt-sleeve sensation proven capable of explaining HRQoL. HRQoL appears to be relatively good, but negatively influenced by subjective perceptions, in addition to treatment factors.

[The effects of hatha yoga exercises on stress and anxiety levels in mastectomized women]

This article seeks to evaluate the effects of hatha yoga on stress and anxiety levels in mastectomized women. It also investigates the relationship between these levels with the following variables: age; marital status; religion; instruction; profession; smoke addiction; elitism; staging of the disease; and treatment phase. This involved controlled random clinical trial sampling of 45 mastectomized women treated at the Ilza Bianco outpatient service of Santa Rita de Cássia Hospital in the Brazilian state of Espírito Santo from March to November 2010. The experimental group participated in 6 individually-applied sessions with incentive for ongoing home practice and was re-evaluated after the period, whereas the control group was re-evaluated after a proportional period. For the study of the variables, the interview and recording on a form technique was used, along with the Anxiety Trait and State Test, and the Stress Symptoms and Signs Test. For statistical treatment, the Statistical Pack for Social Sciences was used. The data are statistically significant and have shown that hatha yoga exercises decrease stress and anxiety in the experimental group. No connection between confounding variables and anxiety and stress levels was found.

Assessment of the measurement properties of quality of life questionnaires in Brazilian women with breast cancer

BACKGROUND

There are several questionnaires available to assess quality of life in breast cancer, however the choice of the best questionnaire often does not take into account the adequacy of these questionnaires' measurement properties.

OBJECTIVE

To test the measurement properties of two generic quality of life questionnaires and one quality of life questionnaire specific for women with breast cancer.

METHOD

We assessed 106 women after surgery for breast cancer. The assessment included application of the SF-36, WHOQOL-bref, and FACT-B+4 questionnaires as well as the Global Perceived Effect and Pain Numerical Rating scales. The participants were interviewed on three occasions to investigate internal consistency, floor and ceiling effects, construct validity, reproducibility, and responsiveness.

RESULTS

Most of the instruments' domains showed adequate internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha varying from 0.66 to 0.91). Reliability varied from poor to substantial (ICC2,1 between 0.39 and 0.87) and agreement varied from negative to very good. The SF-36 presented doubtful agreement and showed floor and ceiling effects in three domains. The domains of the generic questionnaires presented moderate to good correlation with the FACT-B+4 (Pearson varying from 0.31 to 0.69). The internal responsiveness varied from small to large (ES varying from -0.26 to 0.98) and external responsiveness was found in only some of the instruments' domains.

CONCLUSIONS

Most of the measurement properties tested for the WHOQOL-bref and FACT-B+4 were adequate as was their ability to assess quality of life in women with breast cancer. The SF-36 showed inadequacy in agreement and floor and ceiling effects and should not be used in women with breast cancer.

Quality of life after mastectomy and its relation with muscle strength of upper limb

This research transversal, analytical, exploratory and quantitative approach aimed to identify the quality of life of women who have had a mastectomy surgery, relate the results with the strength of the upper limb muscle affected and draw a sociofunctional profile. A total of 10 women participated, from 30 to 60 years old, who underwent to unilateral modified radical mastectomy in a medium-sized hospital in an inner city of Rio Grande do Sul, for at least one year from the date of data collection. The strength of the upper limb muscle was evaluated by manual testing and the handgrip was tested with the dynamometer. A sociofunctional questionnaire was applied and the quality of life data were collected through the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) QLQ-C30 questionnaire, followed by the module BR-23. The strength had decreased in all muscle groups homolateral to the surgery. The life quality in a global health bases resulted as regular. The main changes found in the functionality were at scales: emotional, cognitive and sexual. Statistically, it was found significance and correlation between physical health and social function (p=0.04; r=0.65), cognition and functional performance (p=0.01; r=0.75), emotional performance and cognition (p=0.005; r=0.9) and between handgrip of the affected limb with the global health (p=0.008; r=0.77). Breast cancer and mastectomy has a direct impact on the upper limb muscle strength, functionality and on life quality of women, in sexual, cognitive and emotional domains, and physiotherapy plays an important role in the rehabilitation and in social rehabilitation of these.