A diagnosis of ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) may not have significant negative effects on women’s sexual function and body image, according to American researchers.
In fact, sexual function and body image among women with DCIS appear to be similar to those of women in the general population and remain stable over time.
DCIS is a non-invasive form of breast cancer. Cancer cells are found in the lining of the milk ducts, but they have not spread to nearby tissue. If not treated, DCIS can become invasive breast cancer.
Study participants included 304 women who had been diagnosed with DCIS in the previous three months and were sexually active in the previous 6 months. Their median age was 49.0 and 85% of them were married or partnered. At the start of the study, 41% of the women had received radiation treatment, 33% had had mastectomy, and 37% were taking tamoxifen, a type of hormonal therapy.
The participants responded to questionnaires concerning body image, sexual arousal, and sexual satisfaction. They were also assessed for depression. Follow-ups occurred at 9 months and 18 months after the start of the study.
The researchers found that in this group:
- Overall, the participants’ sexual function did not seem to be negatively affected by the DCIS diagnosis.
- Sexual function remained stable across all follow-up periods, no matter what type of treatment the women were receiving.
- Women who had mastectomy without reconstruction had higher rates of sexual satisfaction than those who did not have mastectomy, although this finding warrants further study.
- Other illness that interfered with daily life tended to negatively affect sexual function and body image.
The authors pointed out that women with DCIS are usually not treated with chemotherapy, which can induce menopause and take a toll on daily life. This may explain why the sexual functioning of these participants stayed “generally well intact.”
The findings “should be reassuring to patients and also useful to providers in the context of counseling patients about treatment options,” the authors concluded.
The Journal of Sexual Medicine first published the study online in July 2012.
Resources
HealthDay via Medical Xpress
“Breast cancer doesn’t affect sexual function in women”
(July 26, 2012)
http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-07-breast-cancer-doesnt-affect-sexual.html
The Journal of Sexual Medicine
Bober, Sharon L., PhD, et al.
“Psychosexual Functioning and Body Image Following a Diagnosis of Ductal Carcinoma In Situ”
(First published online: July 19, 2012)
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1743-6109.2012.02852.x/full
PubMed Health
“Breast Cancer”
(Last reviewed: December 15, 2011)
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001911/