Breast cancer is one of the most common malignancies among women. Its diagnosis and treatment have social, economic, physical, emotional/psychological and sexual repercussions. The main parameters used to assess the results of anticancer therapy are disease-free survival and overall survival. More recently, quality of life (QOL) has been considered an additional parameter. No consensus exists about the definition of QOL. However, most definitions take into account multidimensional and subjective aspects of QOL. The identification of factors related to QOL and comprehension of how these factors contribute to the perception of QOL are reasons for debate, since the concept of QOL is directly related to the social and cultural context in which the individual is inserted. Age at diagnosis, chemotherapy, type of surgery, climacteric symptoms, relationship between the couple, and sexuality are several factors associated with QOL in women with breast cancer. QOL associated with different antineoplastic therapies may help patients and physicians choose the best therapeutic modality. Towards this end, the current article addresses various aspects of QOL of breast cancer women, and presents the state-of-the-art knowledge on the topic.
Breast neoplasms; Quality of life; Climacteric symptoms