Quality Of Life Among Women With Radical Mastectomy

Abstract

Breast cancer is the most common cancer that affects women today and it is the most common cancer among women in Egypt. The diagnosis of breast cancer and its subsequent treatment have been shown to have a significant influence on a woman’s Quality of life. The aim was to assess the effect of radical mastectomy on women’s quality of life. Subject&methods:Descriptive research design was conducted in the surgical outpatient clinic at El Mansoura oncology Center. The data were collected from 150 women with radical mastectomy. Data were collected utilizing the following tools: 1) A structured-interviewing sheet: 2) body image assessments tool and 3) health-related quality of life questionnaire for women with radical mastectomy (HRQOL). The results revealed that more than two third of the sample suffer from dissatisfaction regarding their body image. More than half of the studied sample developed average total quality of life regarding Physical, Psychological, Social and Environmental QOL domains. On the other hand there were a statically significant difference between age, education, occupation, income, residence, its type and the levels of body image. Also all the previous variable achieved highly significant difference with the total QOL domains except the type of residence. The study recommended that, Planned health education programs should be given to mastectomy women and their significant ones on breast cancer, mastectomy and other management approaches, their possible side effects and ways of controlling each unwanted effects. This will allay unnecessary fears and assist the women in coping with her condition. Key words: Quality of life, Radical mastectomy.