Long-term survey of sexual well-being after breast reconstruction using the BREAST-Q in the Japanese population

Abstract

Background: The objective of this study was to identify response patterns related to sexual well-being following breast operations in the Japanese population.

Methods: Patient-reported outcomes were analyzed at 1 year and 5 years after breast operations, including breast reconstruction, for Japanese women at a single center, with a focus on "Sexual well-being" in BREAST-Q. Response analysis and multiple regression analysis were performed. The scores at years 1 and 5 were also compared across three types of operation: mastectomy only, TE/Imp, and DIEP.

Results: The response rate for Sexual well-being on BREAST-Q in the prospective cohort of patients with breast cancer dropped from 60.0% in postoperative year 1-34.3% in year 5. The mean score for Sexual well-being increased from 32 (year 1) to 38 (year 5). There were significant differences between respondents and non-respondents in age at year 1 (P = 0.007) and for mastectomy only (P = 0.01) and TE/Imp (P = 0.03) at year 5. In regression analysis, only DIEP was positively associated with Sexual well-being at year 1 (p < 0.001) and there were no significant factors at year 5. Among the operative procedures, scores after DIEP were significantly better than those after mastectomy only at year 1 (p < 0.001), but there was no difference at year 5. There were no significant changes from year 1 to year 5 for each operation.

Conclusions: A low response rate for Sexual well-being on BREAST-Q was found in Japanese women at 5 years postoperatively. This suggests the need for development of a modified evaluative scale that avoids nonresponse bias and considers ethnic differences.

Keywords: Breast implant; Breast reconstruction; Breast-Q; DIEP; Sexual satisfaction.