Cancer is the name given to several diseases that have as common characteristic the abnormal
growth of cells, invade tissues and organs, and can spread to other parts of the body, causing
metastasis. Cells divide rapidly, tending to be very aggressive and uncontrollable, thus causing
tumors to form. Breast cancer is a disease that often affects women aged between 50 and 69
years, and can be classified according to staging, extension in lymph nodes or invasion into
adjacent tissues. Thus, in view of the aspects related to women affected with breast cancer, it
is the role of occupational therapists to promote conditions for the exercise of occupations that
these women have previously performed. Therefore, this research aimed to analyze scientific
evidence available in the literature on the role of Occupational Therapy in the treatment of
women with breast cancer in the last 10 years, having as a guiding question "What scientific
knowledge has been produced in the last 10 years related to the intervention of occupational
therapists with patients diagnosed with breast cancer?”. An integrative literature review was
carried out, in which studies will be searched in the following databases: LILACS; Scientific
Electronic Library Online; PUBMED; Brazilian Journal of Occupational Therapy; Revista de
Terapia Ocupacional da Universidade de São Paulo that have been published in the last 10
years. 98 studies were found, leaving only 9 that met the inclusion criteria, having been carried
out with women diagnosed with breast cancer; written by occupational therapists; address
occupational therapeutic interventions; published in Portuguese, Spanish or English carried out
in the last 10 years. After being carefully analyzed, two categories of the most discussed topics
were created: "Occupational Therapy in the physical rehabilitation of women with breast
cancer" and "Occupational Therapy in the ADL's and IADL's of women with breast cancer".
This integrative literature review allowed us to conclude that the role of Occupational Therapy
with women with breast cancer is wide, promoting social reintegration, functionality and
independence.
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