The impact on body image and quality of life in breast cancer patients

Abstract

Objectives: to evaluate the quality of life and body image in women with breast cancer during chemotherapy, before and after interventions targeting body image. Methods: we conducted a prospective cohort study with 47 women, utilizing both qualitative and quantitative data analysis. Results: in the semi-structured interviews, 52.7% of the recommendations were deemed highly beneficial for the patients. After chemotherapy, 25.53% were dissatisfied with their body image, and 89.4% expressed concern about hair loss. Additionally, 97.9% of participants emphasized the importance of counseling tools in cancer treatment. We observed significant changes in body image scale scores and physical health (p<0.001), indicating an improvement in body image perception despite a decline in physical health when comparing pre-and post-chemotherapy results. Conclusions: the scarcity of Brazilian publications on body image is noted, underscoring the role of healthcare professionals in interdisciplinary approaches to enhance clinical practices.