Breast cancer surgery: Comparing surgical groups and determining individual differences in postoperative sexuality and body change stress

Women diagnosed and surgically treated for regional breast cancer (N = 190) were studied to determine the sexual and body change sequelae for women re ceiving modified radical mastectomy (MRM) with breast reconstruction in com parison with the sequelae for women receiving breast-conserving therapy (BC T) or MRM without breast reconstruction. The sexuality pattern for women re ceiving reconstructive surgery was one that was significantly different-wit h lower rates of activity and fewer signs of sexual responsiveness-than tha t for women in either of the other groups. Significantly higher levels of t raumatic stress and situational distress regarding the breast changes were reported by the women receiving an MRM in contrast to the women treated wit h BCT. Using a model to predict sexual morbidity, regression analyses revea led that individual differences in sexual self-schema were related to both sexual and body change stress outcomes.