psycho-onology; breast cancer; sexuality; couples; reflexive thematic analysis; longitudinal design
Disciplines :
Treatment & clinical psychology
Author, co-author :
Cairo Notari, Sarah
Mathieu, Thierry; UNIGE - Université de Genève [CH]
Favez, Nicolas; UNIGE - Université de Genève [CH]
Adam, Françoise ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département de Psychologie > Psychologie de la Sexualité ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Unités de recherche interfacultaires > Research Unit for a life-Course perspective on Health and Education (RUCHE)
Language :
English
Title :
Changes in heterosexual couples’ sexuality during the first two years after breast cancer surgery: A longitudinal descriptive study
Publication date :
19 May 2024
Journal title :
Sexuality and Disability
ISSN :
0146-1044
eISSN :
1573-6717
Publisher :
Kluwer Academic Publishers, Netherlands
Peer reviewed :
Peer Reviewed verified by ORBi
Funding number :
IP11, KLS3396-02-2014
Funding text :
Swiss National Centre of Competence in Research LIVES - Overcoming vulnerability: life course perspectives, Swiss Cancer League
Globocan: Estimated number of new cases in 2020, worldwide, both sexes, all ages, http://gco.iarc.fr/today/home, last accessed 2023/10/02
J. Ferlay et al. Cancer incidence and mortality worldwide: Sources, methods and major patterns in GLOBOCAN 2012 Int. J. Cancer 2015 136 359 386 10.1002/ijc.29210
C. Allemani et al. Global surveillance of trends in cancer survival 2000–14 (CONCORD-3): Analysis of individual records for 37 513 025 patients diagnosed with one of 18 cancers from 322 population-based registries in 71 countries Lancet 2018 391 1023 1075 10.1016/S0140-6736(17)33326-3 29395269 5879496
C. Duggan et al. National health system characteristics, breast cancer stage at diagnosis, and breast cancer mortality: A population-based analysis Lancet Oncol. 2021 22 1632 1642 10.1016/S1470-2045(21)00462-9 34653370
K. Maajani A. Jalali S. Alipour M. Khodadost H.R. Tohidinik K. Yazdani The global and regional survival rate of women with breast cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis Clin. Breast Cancer 2019 19 165 177 10.1016/j.clbc.2019.01.006 30952546
World Health Organization: Breast cancer, https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/breast-cancer, last accessed 2023/10/02
E. Gilbert J.M. Ussher J. Perz Sexuality after gynaecological cancer: A review of the material, intrapsychic, and discursive aspects of treatment on women’s sexual-wellbeing Maturitas 2011 70 42 57 10.1016/j.maturitas.2011.06.013 21764229
S. Drageset T.C. Lindstrøm S. Ellingsen I have both lost and gained. Norwegian survivors’ experiences of coping 9 years after primary breast cancer surgery Cancer Nurs. 2020 43 30 37 10.1097/NCC.0000000000000656
C.B. Harrington J.A. Hansen M. Moskowitz B.L. Todd M. Feuerstein It’s not over when it’s over: Long-term symptoms in cancer survivors—a systematic review Int. J. Psychiatry Med. 2010 40 163 181 10.2190/PM.40.2.c 20848873
H.-S. Wu J.K. Harden Symptom burden and quality of life in survivorship: A review of the literature Cancer Nurs. 2015 38 29 54 10.1097/NCC.0000000000000135
J. Baumgart K. Nilsson A.S. Evers T.K. Kallak I.S. Poromaa Sexual dysfunction in women on adjuvant endocrine therapy after breast cancer Menopause 2013 20 162 168 10.1097/gme.0b013e31826560da 22990756
K. Klaeson K. Sandell C.M. Berterö To feel like an outsider: Focus group discussions regarding the influence on sexuality caused by breast cancer treatment Eur. J. Cancer Care (Engl) 2011 20 728 737 10.1111/j.1365-2354.2011.01239.x 21355941
M. Panjari R.J. Bell S.R. Davis Sexual function after breast cancer J. Sex. Med. 2011 8 294 302 10.1111/j.1743-6109.2010.02034.x 21199377
L. Robinson B. Miedema J. Easley Young adult cancer survivors and the challenges of intimacy J. Psychosoc Oncol. 2014 32 447 462 10.1080/07347332.2014.917138 24797721
R. Sadovsky et al. Cancer and sexual problems J. Sex. Med. 2010 7 349 373 10.1111/j.1743-6109.2009.01620.x 20092444
M.R. Safarinejad N. Shafiei S. Safarinejad Quality of life and sexual functioning in young women with early-stage breast cancer 1 year after lumpectomy Psychooncology 2013 22 1242 1248 10.1002/pon.3130 22777952
L.R. Schover G.P. Baum L.A. Fuson A. Brewster A. Melhem-Bertrandt Sexual problems during the first 2 years of adjuvant treatment with aromatase inhibitors J. Sex. Med. 2014 11 3102 3111 10.1111/jsm.12684 25141792 4370340
D.M. Shaw Homeopathy is faith healing without religion Focus Altern. Complement. Ther. 2014 19 27 29 10.1111/fct.12091
M. Dunne K. Keenan CE: Late and long-term sequelae of breast cancer treatment Am. J. Nurs. 2016 116 36 45 10.1097/01.NAJ.0000484223.07306.45 27171589
S.R. Harris Axillary web syndrome in breast cancer: A prevalent but under-recognized postoperative complication Breast Care 2018 13 132 135 10.1159/000485023 29887791 5981636
D.J. Langford et al. Persistent breast pain following breast cancer surgery is associated with persistent sensory changes, pain interference, and functional impairments J. Pain 2014 15 1227 1237 10.1016/j.jpain.2014.08.014 25439318 4254680
D.L. Lovelace L.R. McDaniel D. Golden Long-term effects of breast cancer surgery, treatment, and survivor care J. Midwifery Womens Health 2019 64 713 724 10.1111/jmwh.13012 31322834
R.C. Tait et al. Persistent post-mastectomy pain: Risk factors and current approaches to treatment J. Pain 2018 19 1367 1383 10.1016/j.jpain.2018.06.002 29966772 6530598
O.J. Vilholm S. Cold L. Rasmussen S.H. Sindrup The postmastectomy pain syndrome: An epidemiological study on the prevalence of chronic pain after surgery for breast cancer Br. J. Cancer 2008 99 604 610 10.1038/sj.bjc.6604534 18682712 2527825
D. Waltho G. Rockwell Post-breast surgery pain syndrome: Establishing a consensus for the definition of post-mastectomy pain syndrome to provide a standardized clinical and research approach – a review of the literature and discussion Can. J. Surg. J. Can. Chir. 2016 59 342 350 10.1503/cjs.000716
R. Knackstedt S. Grobmyer R. Djohan Collaboration between the breast and plastic surgeon in restoring sensation after mastectomy Breast J. 2019 25 1187 1191 10.1111/tbj.13420 31264296
S.M. Shridharani M. Magarakis S.M. Stapleton B. Basdag S.M. Seal G.D. Rosson Breast sensation after breast reconstruction: A systematic review J. Reconstr. Microsurg 2010 26 303 310 10.1055/s-0030-1249313 20195965
M. Rogers L.J. Kristjanson The impact on sexual functioning of chemotherapy-induced menopause in women with breast cancer Cancer Nurs. 2002 25 57 65 10.1097/00002820-200202000-00011 11838721
M. DeSimone E. Spriggs J.S. Gass S.A. Carson M.L. Krychman D.S. Dizon Sexual dysfunction in female cancer survivors Am. J. Clin. Oncol. 2014 37 101 106 10.1097/COC.0b013e318248d89d 22643563
F. Cebeci H.B. Yangin A. Tekeli Determination of changes in the sexual lives of young women receiving breast cancer treatment: A qualitative study Sex. Disabil. 2010 28 255 264 10.1007/s11195-010-9169-1
J.P. Gopie M.M. Kuile R. ter, Timman M.A.M. Mureau A. Tibben Impact of delayed implant and DIEP flap breast reconstruction on body image and sexual satisfaction: A prospective follow-up study Psychooncology 2014 23 100 107 10.1002/pon.3377 23983109
L. Ljungman et al. Sexual dysfunction and reproductive concerns in young women with breast cancer: Type, prevalence, and predictors of problems Psychooncology 2018 27 2770 2777 10.1002/pon.4886 30203884 6585728
N. Rottmann et al. Satisfaction with sex life in sexually active heterosexual couples dealing with breast cancer: A nationwide longitudinal study Acta Oncol. 2017 56 212 219 10.1080/0284186X.2016.1266086 28080186
J.M. Ussher J. Perz E. Gilbert Changes to sexual well-being and intimacy after breast cancer Cancer Nurs. 2012 35 456 465 10.1097/NCC.0b013e3182395401 22222680
E.M. Vieira D.B. Santos M.A. Santos A. dos, Giami Experience of sexuality after breast cancer: A qualitative study with women in rehabilitation Rev. Lat Am. Enfermagem 2014 22 408 414 10.1590/0104-1169.3258.2431 25029051 4292614
A. Przezdziecki K.A. Sherman A. Baillie A. Taylor E. Foley K. Stalgis-Bilinski My changed body: Breast cancer, body image, distress and self-compassion Psychooncology 2013 22 1872 1879 10.1002/pon.3230 23203842
P. Fobair S.L. Stewart S. Chang C. D’Onofrio P.J. Banks J.R. Bloom Body image and sexual problems in young women with breast cancer Psychooncology 2006 15 579 594 10.1002/pon.991 16287197
C.A. Falk Dahl K.V. Reinertsen I.-L. Nesvold S.D. Fosså A.A. Dahl A study of body image in long-term breast cancer survivors Cancer 2010 116 3549 3557 10.1002/cncr.25251 20564138
S.W.M.C. Maass C. Roorda A.J. Berendsen P.F.M. Verhaak G.H. de Bock The prevalence of long-term symptoms of depression and anxiety after breast cancer treatment: A systematic review Maturitas 2015 82 100 108 10.1016/j.maturitas.2015.04.010 25998574
K.A. Sherman et al. Reducing body image-related distress in women with breast cancer using a structured online writing exercise: Results from the My Changed Body randomized controlled trial J. Clin. Oncol. 2018 36 1930 1940 10.1200/JCO.2017.76.3318 29688834
V. Sebri I. Durosini S. Triberti G. Pravettoni The efficacy of psychological intervention on body image in breast cancer patients and survivors: A systematic-review and meta-analysis Front. Psychol. 2021 12 611954 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.611954 33732184 7957010
N. Karabulut B. Erci Sexual desire and satisfaction in sexual life affecting factors in breast cancer survivors after mastectomy J. Psychosoc Oncol. 2009 27 332 343 10.1080/07347330902979101 19544180
A.J. Carroll S.R. Baron R.A. Carroll Couple-based treatment for sexual problems following breast cancer: A review and synthesis of the literature Support Care Cancer 2016 24 3651 3659 10.1007/s00520-016-3218-y 27154014
S. Cairo Notari L. Notari N. Favez J.-F. Delaloye P. Ghisletta The protective effect of a satisfying romantic relationship on women’s body image after breast cancer: A longitudinal study Psychooncology 2017 26 836 842 10.1002/pon.4238 27478976
J. Lemieux E. Maunsell L. Provencher Chemotherapy-induced alopecia and effects on quality of life among women with breast cancer: A literature review Psychooncology 2008 17 317 328 10.1002/pon.1245 17721909
E.L. McGarvey L.D. Baum R.C. Pinkerton L.M. Rogers Psychological sequelae and alopecia among women with cancer Cancer Pract. 2001 9 283 289 10.1046/j.1523-5394.2001.96007.x 11879330
N.E. Avis S. Crawford J. Manuel Psychosocial problems among younger women with breast cancer Psychooncology 2004 13 295 308 10.1002/pon.744 15133771
R.L. Helms E.L. O’Hea M. Corso Body image issues in women with breast cancer. Psychol Health Med. 2008 13 313 325 10.1080/13548500701405509
G. Makari-Judson C.H. Judson W.C. Mertens Longitudinal patterns of weight gain after breast cancer diagnosis: Observations beyond the first year Breast J. 2007 13 258 265 10.1111/j.1524-4741.2007.00419.x 17461900
S.M. Rosenberg et al. Body image in recently diagnosed young women with early breast cancer Psychooncology 2013 22 1849 1855 10.1002/pon.3221 23132765
K. Härtl et al. Impact of medical and demographic factors on long-term quality of life and body image of breast cancer patients Ann. Oncol. 2003 14 1064 1071 10.1093/annonc/mdg289 12853348
P. Hopwood I. Fletcher A. Lee S. Al Ghazal A body image scale for use with cancer patients Eur. J. Cancer 2001 37 189 197 10.1016/S0959-8049(00)00353-1 11166145
J.B. Schnur S.C. Ouellette T.A. Dilorenzo S. Green G.H. Montgomery A qualitative analysis of acute skin toxicity among breast cancer radiotherapy patients Psychooncology 2011 20 260 268 10.1002/pon.1734 20238306 3729017
L. Woertman F. van den Brink Body image and female sexual functioning and behavior: A review J. Sex. Res. 2012 49 184 211 10.1080/00224499.2012.658586 22380588
M.C. Fingeret I. Teo D.E. Epner Managing body image difficulties of adult cancer patients: Lessons from available research Cancer 2014 120 633 641 10.1002/cncr.28469 24895287
A. Begovic-Juhant A. Chmielewski S. Iwuagwu L.A. Chapman Impact of body image on depression and quality of life among women with breast cancer J. Psychosoc Oncol. 2012 30 446 460 10.1080/07347332.2012.684856 22747107
E. Gilbert J.M. Ussher J. Perz Sexuality after breast cancer: A review Maturitas 2010 66 397 407 10.1016/j.maturitas.2010.03.027 20439140
J. Pelusi Sexuality and body image: Research on breast cancer survivors documents altered body image and sexuality Cancer Nurs. 2006 29 32 38 10.1097/00002820-200603002-00013 16779954
J.J. Speer et al. Study of sexual functioning determinants in breast cancer survivors Breast J. 2005 11 440 447 10.1111/j.1075-122X.2005.00131.x 16297089
M. Takahashi I. Kai Sexuality after breast cancer treatment: Changes and coping strategies among Japanese survivors Soc. Sci. Med. 2005 61 1278 1290 10.1016/j.socscimed.2005.01.013 15970237
M. Hagedoorn R. Sanderman H.N. Bolks J. Tuinstra J.C. Coyne Distress in couples coping with cancer: A meta-analysis and critical review of role and gender effects Psychol. Bull. 2008 134 1 30 10.1037/0033-2909.134.1.1 18193993
K. Kayser L.E. Watson J.T. Andrade Cancer as a we-disease: Examining the process of coping from a relational perspective Fam Syst. Health 2007 25 404 418 10.1037/1091-7527.25.4.404
F. Meier C. Notari S. Bodenmann G. Revenson T.A. Favez We are in this together – aren’t we? Congruence of common dyadic coping and psychological distress of couples facing breast cancer Psychooncology 2019 28 2374 2381 10.1002/pon.5238 31600426
S. Holmberg L. Scott W. Alexy B. Fife Relationship issues of women with breast cancer Cancer Nurs. 2001 24 53 60 10.1097/00002820-200102000-00009 11219423
Moreira, M.T., Smith, L.A., Foxcroft, D.: Social norms interventions to reduce alcohol misuse in university or college students. Cochrane Database Syst. Rev. CD006748 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD006748.pub2
M.E. Shands F.M. Lewis J. Sinsheimer B.B. Cochrane Core concerns of couples living with early stage breast cancer Psychooncology 2006 15 1055 1064 10.1002/pon.1036 16598822
A. Brédart et al. Prevalence and associated factors of sexual problems after early-stage breast cancer treatment: Results of a French exploratory survey Psychooncology 2011 20 841 850 10.1002/pon.1789 20568085
S.W. Kinsinger J.-P. Laurenceau C.S. Carver M.H. Antoni Perceived partner support and psychosexual adjustment to breast cancer Psychol. Health 2011 26 1571 1588 10.1080/08870446.2010.533771 21598184
J.M. Loaring M. Larkin R. Shaw P. Flowers Renegotiating sexual intimacy in the context of altered embodiment: The experiences of women with breast cancer and their male partners following mastectomy and reconstruction Health Psychol. 2015 34 426 436 10.1037/hea0000195 25822057
C. Marshall G. Kiemle Breast reconstruction following cancer: Its impact on patients’ and partners’ sexual functioning Sex. Relatsh. Ther. 2005 20 155 179 10.1080/14681990500113310
A. Nasiri F. Taleghani A. Irajpour Men’s sexual issues after breast cancer in their wives: A qualitative study Cancer Nurs. 2012 35 236 244 10.1097/NCC.0b013e31822d48e5 22538261
E.H. Zahlis F.M. Lewis Coming to grips with breast cancer: The spouse’s experience with his wife’s first six months J. Psychosoc Oncol. 2010 28 79 97 10.1080/07347330903438974 20391067 2856107
P.A. Ganz K.A. Desmond B. Leedham J.H. Rowland B.E. Meyerowitz T.R. Belin Quality of life in long-term, disease-free survivors of breast cancer: A follow-up study J. Natl. Cancer Inst. 2002 94 39 49 10.1093/jnci/94.1.39 11773281
A.B. Kornblith et al. Long-term adjustment of survivors of early-stage breast carcinoma, 20 years after adjuvant chemotherapy Cancer 2003 98 679 689 10.1002/cncr.11531 12910510
J.R. Bloom S.L. Stewart S. Chang P.J. Banks Then and now: Quality of life of young breast cancer survivors Psychooncology 2004 13 147 160 10.1002/pon.794 15022150
J.R. Bloom S.L. Stewart I. Oakley-Girvan P.J. Banks S. Shema Quality of life of younger breast cancer survivors: Persistence of problems and sense of well-being Psychooncology 2012 21 655 665 10.1002/pon.1965 21538677
F. Mols A.J.J.M. Vingerhoets J.W. Coebergh L.V. van de Poll-Franse Quality of life among long-term breast cancer survivors: A systematic review Eur. J. Cancer 2005 41 2613 2619 10.1016/j.ejca.2005.05.017 16226458
M. Neyt J. Albrecht The long-term evolution of quality of life for disease-free breast cancer survivors: A comparative study in Belgium J. Psychosoc Oncol. 2006 24 89 123 10.1300/J077v24n03_05 17088243
K.D. Stein K.L. Syrjala M.A. Andrykowski Physical and psychological long-term and late effects of cancer Cancer 2008 112 2577 2592 10.1002/cncr.23448 18428205
N. Biglia et al. Effects of surgical and adjuvant therapies for breast cancer on sexuality, cognitive functions, and body weight J. Sex. Med. 2010 7 1891 1900 10.1111/j.1743-6109.2010.01725.x 20233281
N. Fouladi F. Pourfarzi N. Dolattorkpour S. Alimohammadi E. Mehrara Sexual life after mastectomy in breast cancer survivors: A qualitative study Psychooncology 2018 27 434 441 10.1002/pon.4479 28618128
M. Maleki A. Mardani M. Ghafourifard M. Vaismoradi Qualitative exploration of sexual life among breast cancer survivors at reproductive age BMC Womens Health 2021 21 1 10 10.1186/s12905-021-01212-9
S. Cairo Notari N. Favez L. Notari B. Panes-Ruedin T. Antonini J.-F. Delaloye Women’s experiences of sexual functioning in the early weeks of breast cancer treatment Eur. J. Cancer Care 2018 27 e12607 10.1111/ecc.12607
L. Charvoz N. Favez C. Notari S. Panes-Ruedin B. Delaloye M. Oris C. Roberts D. Joye M. Ernst Stähli A survey of couples facing breast cancer in women Surveying Human Vulnerabilities across the life Course 2016 Berlin Springer 113 129 10.1007/978-3-319-24157-9_5
A.B. Hollingshead Commentary on the indiscriminate state of social class measurement Soc. Forces 1971 49 563 567 10.2307/2576737
V. Braun V. Clarke Using thematic analysis in psychology Qual. Res. Psychol. 2006 3 77 101 10.1191/1478088706qp063oa
V. Braun V. Clarke One size fits all? What counts as quality practice in (reflexive) thematic analysis? Qual Res. Psychol. 2021 18 328 352 10.1080/14780887.2020.1769238
V. Braun V. Clarke Can I use TA? Should I use TA? Should I not use TA? Comparing reflexive thematic analysis and other pattern-based qualitative analytic approaches Couns. Psychother. Res. 2021 21 37 47 10.1002/capr.12360
M.D. Sherman J.L. Larsen Family-focused interventions and resources for veterans and their families Psychol. Serv. 2018 15 146 153 10.1037/ser0000174 29723016
J.-P. Laurenceau L.F. Barrett M.J. Rovine The interpersonal process model of intimacy in marriage: A daily-diary and multilevel modeling approach J. Fam Psychol. 2005 19 314 323 10.1037/0893-3200.19.2.314 15982109
E. Hirch Quelle vie pour le couple après le cancer? Le couple et la sexualité Rev. Francoph Psycho-Oncol 2005 4 201 206 10.1007/s10332-005-0084-0
L.-K. Shaw K.A. Sherman J. Fitness B.C.N. Australia Women’s experiences of dating after breast cancer J. Psychosoc Oncol. 2016 34 318 335 10.1080/07347332.2016.1193588 27403802
R. Tay T. Gibney Y.C. Antill Sexual dysfunction after breast cancer: A review of treatments and strategies Cancer Forum 2017 41 25 31 10.3316/informit.684741504993189
L. Del Pup P. Villa I.D. Amar C. Bottoni G. Scambia Approach to sexual dysfunction in women with cancer Int. J. Gynecol. Cancer 2019 29 630 634 10.1136/ijgc-2018-000096 30765487
S.L. Bober et al. How to ask and what to do: A guide for clinical inquiry and intervention regarding female sexual health after cancer Curr. Opin. Support Palliat. Care 2016 10 44 54 10.1097/SPC.0000000000000186 26716390 4984532
J. Carter et al. Interventions to address sexual problems in people with cancer: American Society of Clinical Oncology clinical practice guideline adaptation of Cancer Care Ontario guideline J. Clin. Oncol. 2018 36 492 511 10.1200/JCO.2017.75.8995 29227723
