Evaluation of couple's sexual function and satisfaction after mastectomy

Diagnosis of breast cancer and living with it is a stressful experience which has a serious effect on daily life and especially on couples'' sexual relationship. Treatment outcomes severely affect their lives at later stages، especially the problems caused by the body image and sexual functioning which is an important part of quality of life in breast cancer survivals. This present study was performed with the aim to evaluate the couples'' sexual function and satisfaction after mastectomy. This analytic epidemiologic study was performed on 64 women with breast cancer referring to the radiotherapy ward of Golestan hospital in Ahvaz and their husbands. The sample size included of 32 women with breast cancer undergoing mastectomy after at least six months of surgery and 32 women with breast cancer who had undergone lumpectomy. Data collection tools were the questionnaire of demographic characteristics، Larson standard questionnaire of sexual functioning and sexual satisfaction. Data was analyzed using SPSS software (version 19)، and Chi-squared، and independent t tests. Two groups had statistically significant difference in terms of mean sexual functioning (P<0. 001). Level of sexual desire، arousal، lubrication، sexual satisfaction and pain during intercourse was significantly different between two groups (P>0. 05)، but the difference in achieving to orgasm was not significant between two groups (P>0. 05). Sexual satisfaction in case group was 21. 9% and in control group 78. 1% and this difference was statistically significant (P<0. 001). Sexual satisfaction of husbands in case group was 30. 6% and in control group 69. 4% that statistically significant difference was observed between two groups (P<0. 001). Mastectomy (complete removal of breast) compared to lumpectomy (removing a section of breast) has a remarkable effect on couples'' sexual satisfaction.