Body image issues in women with breast cancer

Abstract

Diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer affects women physically as well as psychologically. There are many obvious and real factors that are related to psychological distress in women coping with breast cancer, such as facing a life-threatening illness, painful and impairing treatments, and significant role changes. Although these factors are clearly important, issues related to body image in women faced with breast cancer can also add to psychological distress. Women, in general, are concerned with their appearance, their weight, and their body, with recent studies suggesting 89% of women reported concerns with weight. Such premorbid concerns are often deeply ingrained and can contribute to psychological distress in women treated for breast cancer. The present article is a summary of the literature that has examined body image issues and related psychological adjustment in women with breast cancer. Implications for clinical practice and recommendations for future investigations are discussed.