Middle-aged and elderly women surviving breast cancer: integrative review

Abstract

Introduction: Breast cancer is the type that most affects women around the world and the aging process is among the risk factors. Completing treatment and overcoming the barrier in the first five years becomes a challenge and, at the same time, a goal for women with this condition. Objective: to systematize the scientific production published in the Virtual Health Library (VHL) on middle-aged and elderly women surviving breast cancer. Methodology: Integrative literature review, including 22 scientific articles available in the VHL database, collected in December 2023 using the descriptors “survivor” or “survivors” and “breast neoplasm” and “and their synonyms ”. Results: After content analysis, five categories emerged: Nutritional status and eating habits of women survivors of breast cancer; Effects of physical exercise (PE) in women survivors of breast cancer; Quality of life of women who survive breast cancer; Functionality and body composition of women survivors of breast cancer; Resilience and sexual health in women survivors of breast cancer. Final considerations: Women who survive breast cancer face multiple challenges related to nutritional status, physical exercise, functionality, quality of life, resilience and sexual health, which requires interprofessional strategies that consider the psychosocial, physical and environmental aspects of these women.