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Survey finds mastectomy patients lose confidence

A vast majority of breast cancer patients lose self-confidence after having their breasts removed and lose interest in having sexual intercourse with their partners, according to the results of a survey released yesterday.

The survey among 300 women suffering from the disease was conducted by the Taiwan Adventist Hospital, the Foundation for Breast Cancer Prevention and Treatment and a support group for breast cancer patients.

The results showed that 90 percent of respondents felt they had lost their femininity following a mastectomy.

While 40 percent of respondents said they had reduced the frequency with which they had sexual relations with their partners following a mastectomy, 80 percent admitted that they now felt anxious about having sex.

Hsieh Chia-ming (謝家明), director of the hospital's Breast Center, said that as the breast is a sexual characteristic of the female form, many breast cancer patients tend to be worried about their partner's perception of them after such a radical change to their appearance.

Approximately 10 percent of patients whose relationships with their spouses or partners were not good in the first place are likely to suffer divorce or a breakup following breast removal, he said.

In a related development, the hospital said it plans to build the nation's first two wards tailor-made for breast cancer patients.

Hsieh said that as many breast cancer patients suffer from depression following a mastectomy, "proper space and privacy" is an important part of post-surgery care.
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