A study on body image and assessment of quality of life among women after mastectomy operated in a semi urban Cancer centre of Kolhapur.

Breast cancer is one of the four most frequent types of cancer seen in women and the second leading cause of death from cancer. Mastectomy is the surgical treatment of breast cancer. It results in a permanent change in the appearance of women. The breast is considered a part of a woman’s identity in Indian culture. It represents femininity, sexuality, beauty, and motherhood. The perceived loss of any of these attributes may lead to a negative change in body image and influence the quality of life of women. The contact details of women who have undergone mastectomy in the past 5 years from Kolhapur Cancer Centre will be retrieved from the hospital registry. Recall patients that are normally being called in the hospital for follow-up will be asked for consent. After receiving the consent, face to face interviews will be arranged in a specific room of the hospital. A FACT B questionnaire will be used to assess the quality-of-life index from the respondents. Among these same respondents, selective respondents will be asked consent for the in-depth interview. In depth interviews will be arranged to understand the body image issues faced by the respondents using an in-depth interview guide. 

The current study findings will suggest that mastectomy as a surgical treatment for breast cancer may negatively affect a woman’s body image and her self-image. Additionally, it will give information on its impact on the quality of life of women. Hence, this study will be conducted to gain a holistic understanding of the negative body image and impact of mastectomy on the quality of life of women. It will also encourage the practice of undergoing breast reconstruction following mastectomy.