Perception of the body image of patients with breast cancer under oncological treatment
Keywords:
Body image, Breast neoplasms, Medical oncologyAbstract
Breast cancer is the malignant neoplasm with the highest incidence worldwide. Its treatments cause many side effects, which end up affecting functionality and physical appearance. These effects can impair the quality of life and body image of these women. Understanding the influence of body image on the quality of life of patients with breast cancer can help advance the therapies used and promote better quality of life. Therefore, the objective of the research is to identify the perception of body image of patients with breast cancer undergoing oncological treatment. Five (05) women with breast cancer undergoing cancer treatment at a large hospital who participated in the Cardio-oncological Rehabilitation Program (PRCO) had their body images analyzed using four questions from the EORTC-QLQ-BR23 questionnaire. Most women (n=3) considered their body image positive. It was concluded that the analysis of the body image of women with breast cancer must be individualized, as each individual's perception of body image is influenced by several non-controllable factors.
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