Long-Term Quality of Life (BREAST-Q) in Patients with Mastectomy and Breast Reconstruction

Silvia García-Solbas, Miguel Ángel Lorenzo-Liñán and Gracia Castro-Luna
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Silvia García-Solbas: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Hospital Vithas Virgen del Mar, 04120 Almería, Spain
Miguel Ángel Lorenzo-Liñán: Department of General and Digestive Surgery, University Hospital Torrecardenas, 04009 Almería, Spain
Gracia Castro-Luna: Department of Nursing, Physiotherapy and Medicine, University of Almería, 04120 Almería, Spain

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 18, 1-19

Abstract: (1) Background: Mastectomy is the surgical treatment of choice in 20–30% of women with breast cancer. In addition, more women are undergoing risk-reducing mastectomies. It is necessary to study these women’s quality of life and satisfaction after surgery, as studies report high percentages of dissatisfaction with the results. The publication of the BREAST-Q© questionnaire in 2009 provided a valuable tool to measure these results. (2) Methods: Descriptive, cross-sectional study of 70 patients who underwent mastectomy and breast reconstruction, both therapeutic and prophylactic, in the last 10 years to whom the BREAST-Q© 2.0-Reconstruction Module questionnaire was provided for completion. (3) Results: The sexual satisfaction scale was the lowest score of the entire questionnaire (51.84 ± 21.13), while the highest score was obtained on the satisfaction with the surgeon scale (91.86 ± 18.11). The satisfaction with care scales showed the importance of the evaluation of these items for future studies. More than half of the patients of the study (51.5%) underwent at least one reoperation after the first surgery, with an average of one (1.15) intervention per patient and a maximum of five. (4) Conclusions: Mastectomy and breast reconstruction have a high negative impact on the sexual well-being of patients. The high percentage of reoperations is a factor to consider because of its possible influence on these patients’ quality of life and satisfaction.

Keywords: breast cancer; breast cancer risk-reducing surgery; mastectomy; breast reconstruction; quality of life; BREAST-Q (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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