Abstract

RINCON FERNANDEZ, María Esther; PEREZ SAN GREGORIO, María Ángeles; BORDA MAS, Mercedes  and  MARTIN RODRIGUEZ, Agustín. The impact of breast reconstruction on self-esteem and body image in patients with breast cancer. Univ. Psychol. [online]. 2012, vol.11, n.1, pp.25-41. ISSN 1657-9267.

The surgical treatment of breast cancer can change patients' physical appearance and lead to important physical sequelae. Therefore, in order to ascertain whether the level of satisfaction with the aesthetic outcome, as well as with regard to self-esteem or the body image in these patients, differs depending on the kind of surgery undergone (unilateral mastectomy or breast reconstruction), a total of 72 patients were studied. To this end, a Psychosocial Survey, the Rosenberg Self-Esteem (RSE) Scale, the EORTC Quality of Life Questionnaire (QLQ-BR23), and the Test for the Measurement of Body Satisfaction were used. In general, patients who underwent reconstruction showed a higher degree of aesthetic satisfaction, as well as greater self-esteem and a lower degree of dissatisfaction regarding their body image.

Keywords : Breast cancer; quality of life; aesthetic satisfaction; self- esteem; body image; Mastectomy; breast reconstruction; psycho-oncology.

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