Search

When Kathleen Salmond discovered a lump in her breast during a routine self-examination, it marked The beginning of a journey filled with challenges, hope, and introspection. The 52-year-old bookkeeper based [...]

Breast implants are a necessity for the female bodybuilder for the psychological boost it gives a female athlete's femininity. While current implants have been made stronger and more biologically compatible, these devices need to be checked from time to time to reduce health risks.

Many women claim that they wish to undergo breast augmentation to please themselves, but they are actually influenced by society and a poor self-image. Women report feeling happier, despite any physical damage that implants may cause.

Women with breast cancer are faced with more decisions than ever before. There are more options in treatment, and more options in breast reconstruction as well. Many women chose breast reconstruction, often as the result of practical considerations about clothing and bathing suits. Other women decline the option, sometimes stressing a reluctance to undergo further surgery. Some women view breast reconstruction as an important way to regain a sense of femininity, others regard it as unnecessary and indicate that they do not believe the loss of a breast will alter the quality of their lives. At present, surveys indicate that roughly three-quarters of breast cancer patients who underwent breast reconstruction were quite satisfied with the result. The American Cancer Society publishes a booklet entitled 'Breast Reconstruction: A Matter of Choice.' The booklet provides answers for women, but the questions themselves should be considered by medical practitioners. Every question asked reflects concerns not only about health and appearance, but also reflects social, psychological, and financial concerns as well. The questions asked about breast reconstruction may indicate underlying anxiety. Questions regarding pain clearly indicate anxiety about the procedure itself, but a less perceptive physician might not recognize that concerns regarding length of recovery period may actually indicate financial concerns, child care concerns, or worries about simply getting on with one's life. In breast cancer, as in many diseases, providing the best care for the patient means understanding more than the mechanics of treatment, it requires an understanding of how the disease actually affects the patient. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

Background: Tissue-sparing approaches to primary treatment and reconstructive options provide improved cosmetic outcomes for women with breast cancer. Earlier research has suggested that conservation or restitution of the breast might mitigate the negative effects of breast cancer on women's sexual well-being. Few studies, however, have compared psychosocial outcomes of women who underwent lumpectomy, mastectomy alone, or mastectomy with reconstruction. To address some of these issues, we examined women's adaptation to surgery in two large cohorts of breast cancer survivors. Methods: A total of 1957 breast cancer survivors (1-5 years after diagnosis) from two major metropolitan areas were assessed in two waves with the use of a self-report questionnaire that included a number of standardized measures of health-related quality of life, body image, and physical and sexual functioning. All P values are two-sided. Results: More than one half (57%) of the women underwent lumpectomy, 26% had mastectomy alone, and 17% had mastectomy with reconstruction. As in earlier studies, women in the mastectomy with reconstruction group were younger than those in the lumpectomy or mastectomy-alone groups (mean ages = 50.3, 55.9, and 58.9, respectively; P = .0001); they were also more likely to have a partner and to be college educated, affluent, and white. Women in both mastectomy groups complained of more physical symptoms related to their surgeries than women in the lumpectomy group. However, the groups did not differ in emotional, social, or role function. Of interest, women in the mastectomy with reconstruction group were most likely to report that breast cancer had had a negative impact on their sex lives (45.4% versus 29.8% for lumpectomy and 41.3% for mastectomy alone; P = .0001). Conclusions: The psychosocial impact of type of primary surgery for breast cancer occurs largely in areas of body image and feelings of attractiveness, with women receiving lumpectomy experiencing the most positive outcome. Beyond the first year after diagnosis, a woman's quality of life is more likely influenced by her age or exposure to adjuvant therapy than by her breast surgery. [J Natl Cancer Inst 2000;92:1422-9]

Immediate breast reconstruction after mastectomy in patients with locally advanced breast cancer is safe and provides important psychological benefits, maintains Mark Sultan, assistant professor of surgery, Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center, New [...]