Representações sociais e câncer de mama: as vivências de mulheres mastectomizadas

Abstract

Breast cancer is the second most common type of cancer among women in Brazil and is the leading cause of cancer death in this population. Although advances in diagnosis and treatment have contributed to survival, many women face physical, emotional, and social consequences after mastectomy. In this context, the relevance of broader studies that consider psychological and emotional aspects is justified by the impacts often associated with breast cancer, such as anxiety, depression, and fear. This study aims to investigate the meanings attributed by women who underwent mastectomy due to breast cancer, with an emphasis on the subjective repercussions related to body identity and the transformations experienced before, during, and after cancer treatment. This is a qualitative exploratory-descriptive study based on Social Representation Theory. In order to understand the phenomenon under investigation, data was collected through semi-structured interviews and socioeconomic questionnaires administered to three women, aged between 40 and 60, who underwent treatment for breast cancer with partial or total mastectomy. The participants agreed to participate in the research voluntarily, and the research was conducted in accordance with the ethical principles established by Resolution No. 466/2012 of the National Health Council, ensuring voluntariness, confidentiality, privacy, and exclusive use of the data for scientific purposes. For data analysis, we used the Content Analysis proposed by Bardin, focusing on the processes of objectification and anchoring of Social Representations about the body, female identity, and experience with the disease. The analysis of the interviews yielded five categories of analysis: 1) feelings about the diagnosis; 2) faith and religiosity; 3) perceived social support; 4) social representations of the disease; and 5) social representations of the body and identity. The results show that women who undergo mastectomy, whether partial or total, will experience significant impacts on their perception of reality. In addition, it is observed that the social representations of the women interviewed reinforce feelings of loss, mutilation, destruction, and incompleteness. At the same time, these representations produce a reframing associated with faith, social support, and a revaluation of life, showing that experiences are not linear but are marked by ambivalence and multiple ways of coping with the disease, strengthening and reworking identity. Based on the analyses, it is possible to conclude that breast cancer has a profound impact on women's lives and forces them to change their daily routines and their representations of the disease