Much work on psychosocial sequelae of breast cancer has been guided
by the assumption that body image and partner reaction issues are
focal.
In a tri-ethnic sample of 223 women treated for early-stage breast
cancer
within the prior year, the authors assessed a wider range of concerns
and
relations to well-being. Strongest concerns were recurrence,
pain,
death, harm from adjuvant treatment, and bills. Body-image
concerns
were moderate; concern about rejection was minimal. Younger women
had stronger sexual and partner-related concerns than older women.
Hispanic
women had many stronger concerns and more disruption than other
women.
Life and pain concerns and sexuality concerns contributed uniquely to
predicting
emotional and psychosexual disruption; life and pain concerns and
rejection
concerns contributed to predicting social disruption. In sum,
adaptation
to breast cancer is a process bearing on several aspects of the
patient’s
life space.
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