Depression, anxiety and sexual satisfaction in breast cancer patients and their partners-Izmir oncology group study.

BACKGROUND: We aimed to investigate anxiety, depression and sexual satisfaction levels and the effects of depression and anxiety upon the sexual satisfaction of Turkish breast cancer patients and their partners. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Data were collected from one hundred breast cancer patients and their partners, using three forms: one covering information about socio-demographic characteristics of the patients, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADs) and the Golombok-Rust Inventory of Sexual Satisfaction (GRISS). RESULTS: The frequencies, avoidance and touch subscores were statistically significantly high in the patients. Among those with high anxiety scores, the frequency, communication, satisfaction, touch, and anorgasmic subscale scores of GRISS were found to be significantly high. Among the partners whose anxiety scores were high, only the premature ejaculation subscale was statistically significant. It was determined that for partners with higher depression scores, the communication, satisfaction, avoidance, premature ejaculation and erectile dysfunction subscores of GRISS were statistically higher compared to partners with lower depression scores. CONCLUSIONS: Patients' quality of life may be increased by taking precautions to reduce their and their partners' psychosocial and psychosexual concerns.

Anterior superficial temporal artery island flap: intraoral defect repair.

UNLABELLED: There are many options for the repair of intraoral defects. Today, free radial forearm or anterolateral thigh perforator flap is the first choice for the repair of intraoral defects. However, the importance of regional flaps is still maintained for patients whose medical condition is inappropriate for a long surgery and anesthesia time. In this report, we present our clinical experience with 9 patients who underwent retromolar trigone, buccal mucosal, gingival, and mouth floor reconstruction with anterior superficial temporal artery island flap (ASTIF) which has not been described in the literature before. Their mean age is 49 (27-85) years. ASTIF dimensions used for the reconstructions ranged from 3 × 5 to 8 × 16 cm. No partial or total flap necrosis was seen in any of the patients; only 3 patients had venous congestion problem for the first 3 days of the surgery, but they all healed well. Five patients had squamous cell carcinoma, 2 patients had squamous cell carcinoma with local recurrence, 1 patient had adenocarcinoma, and 1 patient had mandibular osteocarcinoma. Patients were followed for a minimum of 6 months postoperatively (average 12 months, range 6 to 24 months). ASTIF provides an excellent alternative for reconstructing defects of the oral cavity for some patients who have significant comorbid conditions or specific contraindications to free tissue transfer. At the same time, the combination with the free flaps increases the success of the restoration. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level IV therapeutic study.