Sexual Dysfunction in Breast Cancer Survivors

Background: Approximately 12.3 percent of women will be diagnosed with breast cancer at some point during their lifetime. Breast cancer is accompanied by alternation in body image and worries about sexual attractiveness. Thus, sexual life of breast cancer survivor’s needs special attention. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of breast cancer on women’s sexual function. Methods: In this case-control study, 30 women who referred to surgical departments of breast cancer and 30 healthy women in Shiraz, Iran were selected through purposive sampling. These women underwent treatment during two months. The study data were gathered using a demographic questionnaire and a researcher-made questionnaire based on DSM-IV Diagnostic Criteria which evaluated the women’s sexual dysfunctions. Then, the data were entered into the SPSS statistical software (version 16) and were analyzed using descriptive statistics, chi-square, Mann-Whitney, and Kruskal-Wallis tests. Results: Two groups were matched according to age, education level, occupation, number of treatments for breast cancer, types of treatment and menopausal age (P > 0.05). The results indicated that sexual desire disorder, sexual arousal disorder, and orgasmic disorder were more prevalent in the case group compared to the control group (P 0.05). Moreover, a significant difference was found between the two groups concerning the sex-related imagination and fantasizing (P=0.007), lubrication, orgasm, and remaining aroused (P<0.05). The study results revealed no significant relationship between type of surgery and sexual dysfunction. Whereas, a significant relationship was observed between years after treatment and sexual dysfunction. Conclusion: Our findings show that breast cancer adversely affects women’s sexual function. It is highly recommended to pay attention to the sexual aspect of the women with breast cancer using couple therapy.