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. 2019 Dec 17:11:10563-10571.
doi: 10.2147/CMAR.S223314. eCollection 2019.

Dynamic Changes Of Body Image And Quality Of Life In Breast Cancer Patients

Tzu-Yi Wu  1 , Tsai-Wang Chang  2 , Sheng-Mao Chang  3 , Yun-Ying Lin  4 , Jung-Der Wang  5   6 , Yao-Lung Kuo  7
Affiliations

Dynamic Changes Of Body Image And Quality Of Life In Breast Cancer Patients

Tzu-Yi Wu et al. Cancer Manag Res. .

Abstract

Purpose: Dynamic changes of body image and quality of life (QoL) in breast cancer patients were not commonly investigated. We aimed to compare the dynamic changes in QoL and body image of breast cancer survivors receiving breast-conserving surgery or total mastectomy within 5-10 years after surgery.

Methods: Patients with non-metastatic breast cancer who received surgery were invited to complete the World Health Organization Quality of Life-Brief (WHOQOL-BREF) questionnaire and the Body Image Scale (BIS) within 10 years after surgery. We applied kernel smoothing methods to capture the dynamic changes of the patients' QoL and body image within 5 years after surgery. We also constructed multiple linear regression models to identify predictive factors for QoL and body image.

Results: A total of 581 patients were collected, and 211 of them received breast-conserving surgery. There were no statistically significant differences in QoL and body image for breast-conserving surgery versus total mastectomy, but the former showed fluctuating trends. BIS was a predictor of every item and domain in the WHOQOL-BREF in the multiple linear regression model, and explanatory of the trends of dynamic change over time. Patients without lymph node dissection seemed to have less positive feelings but were more satisfied with sexual activities.

Conclusion: Body image is predictive of the QoL of breast cancer patients. Dynamic changes of body image and QoL would be useful for shared decision-making regarding surgery in breast cancer patients.

Keywords: body image; breast cancer survivors; breast-conserving surgery; quality of life; total mastectomy.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors report no conflicts of interest in this work.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Dynamic changes of scores of the Body Image Scale in patients with breast cancer stratified by types of surgery and lymph node dissection.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Dynamic changes of scores of the WHOQOL-BREF in patients with breast cancer according to the surgery type.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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