Metodologia

ARTIGO ARTICLE

Reinventando a vida: proposta para uma abordagem sócio-antropológica do câncer de mama feminina
Reinventing life: a proposal for a socio-anthropological approach to breast cancer
Romeu Gomes 1
Márcia Marília Vargas Fróes Skaba
Roberto José da Silva Vieira 1

1 Instituto Fernandes
Figueira, Fundação Oswaldo
Cruz. Av. Rui Barbosa 716,
2 o andar, Rio de Janeiro, RJ
22250-020, Brasil. [e-mail] [e-mail] [e-mail] 2 Hospital do Câncer I,
Instituto Nacional de Câncer.
Praça Cruz Vermelha 23,
Rio de Janeiro, RJ
202230-130, Brasil.

1,2

Abstract This paper analyzes social representations of breast cancer and discusses the possibility of including symbolic aspects in the approach to this disease. The methodology is based on both a critical review of the theme (highlighting socio-anthropological issues) and the authors’ experience in the field of oncology. The paper thus focuses on: (a) historical aspects of clinical and surgical approaches to breast cancer; (b) theoretical discussion of socially-constructed representations of cancer; and (c) incorporation of the symbolic dimension when dealing with women with breast cancer. The authors conclude that health care policy for women with breast cancer should consider both improvements in technical services and the symbolic dimension involved in living with this disease.
Key words Breast Neoplasms; Women’s Health; Anthropology

Resumo O artigo objetiva analisar as representações sociais do câncer de mama e, com base nessa análise, discutir a possibilidade da inclusão de aspectos simbólicos na abordagem dessa doença. A metodologia, de um lado, fundamenta-se numa revisão crítica da temática, pontuando questões sócio-antropológicas e, de outro lado, baseia-se na experiência acumulada dos autores no campo da oncologia. Com base nesses princípios, o trabalho se configura a partir de (a) resgate de aspectos históricos das abordagens clínica e