The Effect on Quality of Life and Body Image of Mastectomy Among Breast Cancer Survivors

The objective of the present study was to determine effect on quality of life (QoL) and body image level following mastectomy among breast cancer (BC) survivors.

In this descriptive study was carried out between February 2015 and December 2016 with 57 women with modified radical mastectomy and who in stage II and stage III. Data were collected using the socio-demographic and body cathexis scale, Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Breast (FACT-B) to determine QoL. The study was carried out in home environment in which women lived.

The average age of the women was 49.34 years (ranged 28-78 years). Most of the women had undergone mastectomy for more than 6 months.. Most of the women also received adjuvant chemotherapy and radiotherapy. The study showed that the mean FACT-B total score of the women was 68.47 (SD=22.44), and the body image score was 121.61(SD=21.96). According to the results of linear regression analysis, except for the social/family well-being of FACT-B, positive correlations were calculated among the other sub-dimensions of FACT-B and the FACT-B total score and the body image total score respectively (β=0.822, p=0.000). In the multiple linear regression model, there was medium correlation between education and work status with QoL, no correlation between QoL and other features of women. There was important positive relationship between body image with time after mastectomy and chemotherapy and no correlation between body image and other features of women.

The results of this study showed that the mastectomy has a negative impact on body image and QoL of women and there was a strong positive correlation between body image and QoL.