Irene Teo

Managing Body Image Difficulties of Adult Cancer Patients Lessons From Available Research

Body image is a critical psychosocial issue for patients with cancer because they often undergo significant changes to appearance and functioning. The primary purpose of this review article was to identify empirically‐supported approaches to treat body image difficulties of adult cancer patients that can be incorporated into high‐quality comprehensive cancer care.

Examining pain, body image, and depressive symptoms in patients with lymphedema secondary to breast cancer

Depression and reduced quality of life are often reported in patients with upper‐extremity lymphedema secondary to breast cancer treatment. Little is known about how pain and body image influence depression in patients with lymphedema. The current study examined the association of pain intensity and body integrity beliefs with depressive symptoms and the extent to which body image dissatisfaction mediated these associations.

Body Image: a Critical Psychosocial Issue for Patients With Head and Neck Cancer

Increasing attention is being given to evaluating and treating body image difficulties of patients undergoing cancer treatment. Head and neck cancer significantly alters physical appearance and bodily functioning and therefore directly impacts body image. Research involving body image in head and neck cancer patients is growing, and this review considers published findings from 2013 to 2014. Primary attention is given to discussing recent advancements in body image assessment, qualitative studies, descriptive research, and psychosocial intervention studies relevant to body image. Limitations and necessary advancements in this field are noted, and a commentary is provided on the state of the current literature.

Body image and quality of life of breast cancer patients: influence of timing and stage of breast reconstruction.

The process of cancer‐related breast reconstruction is typically multi‐staged and can take months to years to complete, yet few studies have examined patient psychosocial well‐being during the reconstruction process. We investigated the effects of reconstruction timing and reconstruction stage on body image and quality of life at specific time points during the breast reconstruction process.

Body image and quality of life of breast cancer patients

The process of cancer‐related breast reconstruction is typically multi‐staged and can take months to years to complete, yet few studies have examined patient psychosocial well‐being during the reconstruction process. We investigated the effects of reconstruction timing and reconstruction stage on body image and quality of life at specific time points during the breast reconstruction process.

Body image investment in breast cancer patients undergoing reconstruction: Taking a closer look at the Appearance Schemas Inventory-Revised

Breast cancer and its treatment can significantly affect a womans body image. As such, it would be useful to understand the importance or value these patients place on their appearance. We evaluated the factor structure of the Appearance Schemas Inventory-Revised (ASI-R), a measure of body image investment, with a sample of 356 breast cancer patients undergoing mastectomy and breast reconstruction. Using confirmatory and exploratory factor analyses, we found that a three-factor model demonstrated an improvement in fit over the original two-factor structure of the ASI-R. These factors were named Appearance Self-Evaluation, Appearance Power/Control, and Appearance Standards and Behavior. The three aforementioned factors demonstrated acceptable internal consistency reliabilities. Our findings have implications for the use of the ASI-R in an oncology setting, specifically for breast cancer patients undergoing reconstruction.

Coping and quality of life of patients following microsurgical treatment for breast cancer–related lymphedema

Breast cancer–related lymphedema is associated with numerous adverse outcomes. This study investigated the extent clinical factors, lymphedema symptoms, lymphedema-related appearance, and coping strategies predicted quality of life. Female patients who underwent microsurgical treatment for lymphedema (n = 54) participated. Lymphedema symptoms were associated with physical and functional well-being, but not emotional and social well-being. Clinical factors and lymphedema-related appearance were not significantly associated with quality of life. Compared to adaptive coping strategies, maladaptive coping strategies (e.g. denial, venting, self-blame) were more strongly associated with quality of life. This suggests psychosocial interventions aimed at modifying maladaptive coping behaviors can potentially improve quality of life for this patient population.

Salient body image concerns of patients with cancer undergoing head and neck reconstruction

Patients with cancer undergoing head and neck reconstruction can experience significant distress from alterations in appearance and bodily functioning. We sought to delineate salient dimensions of body image concerns in this patient population preparing for reconstructive surgery.

Quantitative measures of facial expression for patients with head and neck cancer

In addition to changes in facial morphology, head and neck cancer treatment can impact the facial expression. Quantification of changes in facial expression, particularly of smiling, would enable a deeper understanding of the relationship between physical changes and psychosocial adjustment in patients being treated for facial cancer. This study proposes 48 quantitative facial expression measures, which consist of the length normalized distances and slopes between 27 manually annotated fiducial points on standard 2D clinical photographs of patients with head and neck cancer. Using the proposed measures, the maximum intensity of smiling for patients with head and neck cancer prior to their treatments was compared to that of a sample from a healthy population. A total of 7 facial expression measures captured statistically significant differences between patients with head and neck cancer and healthy individuals. These measures suggest that patients with head and neck cancer are less expressive than people without head and neck cancer. This study is the first attempt to quantify the facial expression of patients with head and neck cancer and to build a foundation for studying how surgical interventions may affect their facial expressions. Moreover, this study lays the groundwork for future investigation of the relationship between facial expression and psychosocial adjustment in cancer patients.

Body image dissatisfaction in patients undergoing breast reconstruction: Examining the roles of breast symmetry and appearance investment

Reconstruction as part of treatment for breast cancer is aimed at mitigating body image concerns after mastectomy. Although algorithms have been developed to objectively assess breast reconstruction outcomes, associations between objectively quantified breast aesthetic appearance and patient‐reported body image outcomes have not been examined. Further, the role of appearance investment in explaining a patients body image is not well understood. We investigated the extent to which objectively quantified breast symmetry and patient‐reported appearance investment were associated with body image dissatisfaction in patients undergoing cancer‐related breast reconstruction.