The quality of life of women with breast cancer: A literature review

Abstract

Relevance: Breast cancer (BrC) is the most common type of cancer among women, with a steady increase in cases. In recent decades, more attention has been given to studying the quality of life of women with this diagnosis. Quality of life is assessed across four health aspects: physical, psychological, social, and sexual. Considering all these aspects is crucial when studying the quality of life of women with breast cancer. These assessments are important in modern medicine as they evaluate patient conditions before treatment and track changes during therapy.

The study aimed to examine scientific studies on the quality of physical life of women with breast cancer, considering psychological, social, and sexual health aspects to thoroughly understand the disease’s impact on women’s lives, which will help identify existing problems and needs.

Methods: An analytical review of sources from Scopus, PubMed, ScienceDirect, Web of Science, and eLibrary was conducted. Out of 185 analyzed sources, 46 were included in the review, comprising open full-text articles in English and Russian.

Results: Patients who had reconstructive surgery for BrC reported a higher quality of life than those who had a radical mastectomy, with better physical and psychological health and less pain. However, all women experienced a general decrease in quality of life post-treatment, especially in emotional and sexual areas, due to psychological stress, body image changes, and altered sexual identity.

Conclusion: The study highlights the impact of different treatments on the quality of life of women with breast cancer, enabling measures to enhance their physical, psychological, social, and sexual health. This supports developing effective rehabilitation and support programs to improve their overall quality of life.