Breast cancer: feelings and perceptions of women who have undergone mastectomy

• Autor(a) principal: Cavalcante, Marcia Luiza Ferreira
• Data de Publicação: 2016
• Outros Autores: Chaves, Fernanda, Ayala, Arlene Laurenti Monterrosa
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: por
• Título da fonte: Revista de Atenção à Saúde
• Texto Completo: http://seer.uscs.edu.br/index.php/revista_ciencias_saude/article/view/3736
• topic: breast neoplasms; mastectomy; emotions; neoplasias da mama; mastectomia; emoções

Introduction: The need to demonstrate the influences of mastectomy in affective and social life of women with breast cancer is a viable strategy for a positive act in healthcare. Objectives: To characterize women with breast cancer who attend the support group at the Women’s Network Against Cancer in Joinville, Santa Catarina, Brazil, and to know the meaning of mastectomy for these women. Methodology: This is a descriptive study that interviewed 10 women who undergone mastectomy. Data collection was performed using a structured questionnaire, and the data investigated were related to sociodemographic and reproductive characteristics, emotional issues and knowledge that women held about breast cancer. Results: Most of the surveyed women were between 40-50 years, married, with low education and income. The feelings perceived were sadness, anguish, revolt caused by the breast removal, fear of death, shame, faith and hope. The cancer diagnosis confirmation brought profound changes in the life of each woman. New ways of confronting life were expressed in the expectations focused on healing and the need for religious affiliation. Conclusions: During the research, many difficulties experienced by women after mastectomy were evident; for example, problems with their self-image, pain, physical difficulties and sadness caused by the breast removalof . On the other hand, they revealed hopeful feelings, generated by their family support and their acquaintanceship with other women from the support group.