Body Changes After Cancer: Female Cancer Patients' Perceived Social Support and Their Perspective on Care

Overview

Journal Support Care Cancer

Specialties Critical Care
Oncology

Date 2019 Mar 17

PMID 30877595

Citations 7

Authors

Heleen C Melissant

Cornelia F van Uden-Kraan

Birgit I Lissenberg-Witte

Irma M Verdonck-de Leeuw

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate among female cancer patients their perceived social support from health care professionals (HCPs), family and friends, and public media, and their perspective on care concerning body changes.

Methods: A study-specific questionnaire was completed by 235 female cancer patients. Descriptive statistics were used to describe social support and perspective on care. Logistic regression analyses were used to investigate the associations between social support and sociodemographic and clinical factors, psychosocial impact, and importance of appearance.

Results: More than half of the patients received sufficient support from HCPs (54%) and family and friends (55%), and a third from the media (32%). Higher educated patients and those who found appearance not important during illness perceived lower support from HCPs. Patients without a partner, and those with a surgical treatment only, perceived lower support from family and friends. Patients who were older, higher educated, without a partner, and those who found appearance not important during illness perceived lower support from the media. In total, 15-50% of the patients received sufficient care for different domains of body changes. Patients expressed the highest need for psychological support (28%) and nutrition (28%).

Conclusions: Half of the female cancer patients reported to receive sufficient social support concerning body changes after cancer. Perceived support depended on age, education, relationship status, and treatment modality. The need for more care was moderate.

Citing Articles

Katayama H, Ichihara E, Morita A, Makimoto G, Kagawa S, Ishii A Support Care Cancer. 2025; 33(4):283.

PMID: 40088298 DOI: 10.1007/s00520-025-09318-8.

Enablers, barriers and strategies to build resilience among cancer survivors: a qualitative study protocol.

Fernandes J, Domingos J, Almeida A, Castro C, Simoes A, Fernandes S Front Psychol. 2023; 14:1049403.

PMID: 37533724 PMC: 10392835. DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1049403.

Factors associated with the sleep disturbances of people with breast cancer during chemotherapy in China: A cross-sectional study.

Zhu W, Li W, Gao J, Wang L, Guo J, Yang H Nurs Open. 2023; 10(8):5453-5461.

PMID: 37099665 PMC: 10333860. DOI: 10.1002/nop2.1784.

The Use of Natural Language Processing to Assess Social Support in Patients With Advanced Cancer.

Bhatt S, Johnson P, Markovitz N, Gray T, Nipp R, Ufere N Oncologist. 2022; 28(2):165-171.

PMID: 36427022 PMC: 9907037. DOI: 10.1093/oncolo/oyac238.

Associations of body image with depressive symptoms and PTG among breast cancer patients: The mediating role of social support.

Li M Front Psychol. 2022; 13:953306.

PMID: 36312105 PMC: 9614141. DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.953306.

References

Spatuzzi R, Vespa A, Lorenzi P, Miccinesi G, Ricciuti M, Cifarelli W . Evaluation of Social Support, Quality of Life, and Body Image in Women with Breast Cancer. Breast Care (Basel). 2016; 11(1):28-32. PMC: 4813650. DOI: 10.1159/000443493. View

Thompson S, Thomas C, Rickabaugh C, Tantamjarik P, Otsuki T, Pan D . Primary and secondary control over age-related changes in physical appearance. J Pers. 1998; 66(4):583-605. DOI: 10.1111/1467-6494.00025. View

Bjordal K, Ahlner-Elmqvist M, Tollesson E, Jensen A, Razavi D, Maher E . Development of a European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) questionnaire module to be used in quality of life assessments in head and neck cancer patients. EORTC Quality of Life Study Group. Acta Oncol. 1994; 33(8):879-85. DOI: 10.3109/02841869409098450. View

Faller H, Schuler M, Richard M, Heckl U, Weis J, Kuffner R . Effects of psycho-oncologic interventions on emotional distress and quality of life in adult patients with cancer: systematic review and meta-analysis. J Clin Oncol. 2013; 31(6):782-93. DOI: 10.1200/JCO.2011.40.8922. View

Rosman S . Cancer and stigma: experience of patients with chemotherapy-induced alopecia. Patient Educ Couns. 2004; 52(3):333-9. DOI: 10.1016/S0738-3991(03)00040-5. View

Liao Y, Liao W, Shun S, Yu C, Yang P, Lai Y . Symptoms, psychological distress, and supportive care needs in lung cancer patients. Support Care Cancer. 2010; 19(11):1743-51. DOI: 10.1007/s00520-010-1014-7. View

Dua P, Heiland M, Kracen A, Deshields T . Cancer-related hair loss: a selective review of the alopecia research literature. Psychooncology. 2015; 26(4):438-443. DOI: 10.1002/pon.4039. View

James-Martin G, Koczwara B, Smith E, Miller M . Information needs of cancer patients and survivors regarding diet, exercise and weight management: a qualitative study. Eur J Cancer Care (Engl). 2013; 23(3):340-8. DOI: 10.1111/ecc.12159. View

Barelds-Dijkstra P, Barelds D . Positive illusions about one's partner's physical attractiveness. Body Image. 2008; 5(1):99-108. DOI: 10.1016/j.bodyim.2007.07.004. View

10.

van den Berg M, Winkels R, Kruif J, van Laarhoven H, Visser M, de Vries J . Weight change during chemotherapy in breast cancer patients: a meta-analysis. BMC Cancer. 2017; 17(1):259. PMC: 5389147. DOI: 10.1186/s12885-017-3242-4. View

11.

Sharpe L, Patel D, Clarke S . The relationship between body image disturbance and distress in colorectal cancer patients with and without stomas. J Psychosom Res. 2011; 70(5):395-402. DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychores.2010.11.003. View

12.

Sherman K, Przezdziecki A, Alcorso J, Kilby C, Elder E, Boyages J . Reducing Body Image-Related Distress in Women With Breast Cancer Using a Structured Online Writing Exercise: Results From the My Changed Body Randomized Controlled Trial. J Clin Oncol. 2018; 36(19):1930-1940. DOI: 10.1200/JCO.2017.76.3318. View

13.

Schmid-Buchi S, Halfens R, Muller M, Dassen T, van den Borne B . Factors associated with supportive care needs of patients under treatment for breast cancer. Eur J Oncol Nurs. 2012; 17(1):22-9. DOI: 10.1016/j.ejon.2012.02.003. View

14.

Galvao D, Newton R . Review of exercise intervention studies in cancer patients. J Clin Oncol. 2005; 23(4):899-909. DOI: 10.1200/JCO.2005.06.085. View

15.

You J, Lu Q . Sources of social support and adjustment among Chinese cancer survivors: gender and age differences. Support Care Cancer. 2013; 22(3):697-704. DOI: 10.1007/s00520-013-2024-z. View

16.

Maguire R, Kotronoulas G, Simpson M, Paterson C . A systematic review of the supportive care needs of women living with and beyond cervical cancer. Gynecol Oncol. 2014; 136(3):478-90. DOI: 10.1016/j.ygyno.2014.10.030. View

17.

Hopwood P, Fletcher I, Lee A, Al Ghazal S . A body image scale for use with cancer patients. Eur J Cancer. 2001; 37(2):189-97. DOI: 10.1016/s0959-8049(00)00353-1. View

18.

Wakefield M, Loken B, Hornik R . Use of mass media campaigns to change health behaviour. Lancet. 2010; 376(9748):1261-71. PMC: 4248563. DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(10)60809-4. View

19.

Clarke A, Cooper C . Psychosocial rehabilitation after disfiguring injury or disease: investigating the training needs of specialist nurses. J Adv Nurs. 2001; 34(1):18-26. DOI: 10.1046/j.1365-2648.2001.3411736.x. View

20.

Konradsen H, Kirkevold M, Zoffmann V . Surgical facial cancer treatment: the silencing of disfigurement in nurse-patient interactions. J Adv Nurs. 2009; 65(11):2409-18. DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2648.2009.05102.x. View