Breastfeeding after breast cancer: Survey to hospital health professionals in Alsace [Allaitement après cancer du sein: enquête auprès des professionnels de santé hospitaliers en Alsace]

摘要

Objectives For women treated for a breast cancer and wanting childbearing, the issues of breastfeeding and its oncological safety are controversial. Therefore the aim of our study was to establish a state of knowledge of health professionals on this subject. Methods Two hundred and fifty questionnaires were distributed to hospital health professionals, in five Units of Obstetrics and Gynecology in Alsace. The results of our study were expressed as the number of responses, and percentage. Results Analysis of the answers to this questionnaire demonstrated that health professionals have a good theoretical knowledge of the subject and that breastfeeding is not contraindicated. Indeed, in case of breastfeeding, 90% of the hospital health professionals thought that the risk of recurrence was unchanged or decreased and 81% of them answered that the overall survival was unchanged or increased. However, on a practical view, none of these health professionals followed a woman who breastfed after a breast cancer. Discussion and conclusion Breastfeeding after breast cancer does not worsen the prognosis and seems even to improve it. Furthermore, women breastfeeding after a breast cancer have an improved life quality and recommend it to other patients. However, few women breastfeed after breast cancer and this is due to often non-justified reasons coming from their health professionals. Their role should be more to pass clear information and bring their support to breastfeeding to help the women to face their fears as well as encountered difficulties which are not specific, but felt in a more intensive way.