Effects of Expectations and Body Image in Breast Reconstruction

Conditions studied

Breast Cancer

About this study

A breast reconstruction after mastectomy, either due to breast cancer or a high lifetime risk for cancer, is performed to increase the patient's quality of life. However, there are studies that show that some women regret their decision to have breast reconstruction. There are also studies demonstrating similarities in the general patterns of psychosocial adjustment and quality of life among women with breast cancer who have undergone breast-conserving surgery, mastectomy alone, and mastectomy combined with breast reconstruction. Hence, it is unclear which women actually benefit from a breast reconstruction. The concept of quality of life is connected to patient satisfaction and body image/investment. Therefore, the aim of this project is to examine the effects of patient expectations and body image on the patient reported outcomes of breast reconstruction, to improve preoperative information and postoperative care for women considering a breast reconstruction.

Interventions

• Procedure: Implant-based breast reconstruction — All types of implant based breast reconstructions
• Procedure: Autologous breast reconstruction — All types of autologous breast reconstructions
• Procedure: Combined methods — All types of breast reconstructions combining autologous and implant based techniques

Primary outcomes

• Patient satisfaction with breast reconstruction measured with Breast Q reconstruction (2 years)
• Patient expectations measured with Breast Q expectations (2 years)
• Body image measured with Multidimensional body-self relations questionnaire- appearance scales (MBSRQ-AS) (2 years)
• Body image investment measured with Appearance schemas inventory-revised (ASI-R) (2 years)

Eligibility information

Study locations

• Sahlgrenska university hospital, Gothenburg, 413 45 Sweden