Calidad de vida en mujeres con cáncer cérvico uterino

Abstract

Background: Cervical cancer is the fourth most frequent cause of death among women in Chile, and the leading cause of death among women between the ages of 20 and 44. Effective screening methods and opportune treatment has resulted in a growing number of women whose illness is in remission, making an evaluation of the quality of life of these women over the stages of the illness worthwhile. Objective: This article reviews how different aspects of the patient's quality of life (QOL) are affected by cervical cancer. Results: The literature contains many measures of QOL, most of which are generic QOL instruments, as well as a wide range of questionnaires used to evaluate specific aspects of QOL. The sexual dimension of QOL suffers the most marked deterioration for women with cervical cancer. The treatment method employed determines the effect on sexual QOL: while radiotherapy produces local physical alterations which directly affect sexual QOL, surgery principally affects the psychological aspects of sexuality. Conclusion: This review concludes that QOL in women with cervical cancer deteriorates over all its dimensions, most especially sexual QOL. This makes it important to consider QOL when evaluating these patients. Opportune intervention is suggested, especially in those aspects that deteriorate most.