Personality Factors Affect Quality of Life after Breast Reconstruction

Women Who Want 'Revenge on Cancer' May Have Better Psychological Responses

Newswise — Certain personality traits are linked to higher quality-of-life scores in breast cancer patients who undergo breast reconstruction after mastectomy, reports a study in the January issue of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery®, the official medical journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS).

Dr. Silvio Bellino and colleagues of University of Turin, Italy, gave a battery of psychological tests to 57 women with breast cancer who underwent mastectomy and immediate breast reconstruction. The goal was to look at how various personality dimensions and patterns of interpersonal functioning affected quality of life after surgery.

Personalities Affect Women's Outlook after Breast Loss and ReconstructionAfter adjustment for other factors, two personality types were linked to higher quality-of-life scores. This included women with high scores for the temperamental characteristic of "harm avoidance"—a group that Dr. Bellino and coauthors characterize as "apprehensive and doubtful." For these patients, they write, "Restoration of body image could help…to reduce social anxiety and insecurity."

Patients rated as "vindictive/self-centered" on a scale of interpersonal problems also had higher quality-of-life scores. "Vindictive/self-centered patients are resentful and aggressive," according to Dr. Bellino and colleagues. "Breast reconstruction could symbolize the conclusion of a reparative process and fulfill the desire of revenge on cancer."

None of the other psychological or other factors evaluated—including the characteristics of the cancer and its treatment—were significantly related to quality-of-life scores. Overall, mastectomy followed by breast reconstruction yielded significant improvement in quality of life.

As survival rates improve, there is increased attention to the quality of life in breast cancer survivors. More women are undergoing breast reconstruction immediately after mastectomy, which seems to reduce the psychological impact of treatment. The new study is one of the first to look at how personality factors might affect patient satisfaction and quality of life after mastectomy and breast reconstruction.

The results suggest that some personality characteristics have an important impact on psychological recovery after breast cancer treatment. Based on their findings, "A preoperative personality assessment of patients requiring breast reconstruction will be useful to identify predictive factors of better subjective quality of life after surgery," Dr. Bellino and colleagues believe. Such an assessment could help to identify women who could benefit from a brief course of psychotherapy during the period after reconstruction, with the goals of "preventing depressive symptoms and improving interpersonal relations."

About Plastic and Reconstructive SurgeryFor more than 60 years, Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery® has been the one consistently excellent reference for every specialist who uses plastic surgery techniques or works in conjunction with a plastic surgeon. The official journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery® brings subscribers up-to-the-minute reports on the latest techniques and follow-up for all areas of plastic and reconstructive surgery, including breast reconstruction, experimental studies, maxillofacial reconstruction, hand and microsurgery, burn repair, and cosmetic surgery, as well as news on medico-legal issues.

About ASPSThe American Society of Plastic Surgeons (http://www.plasticsurgery.org/) is the largest organization of board-certified plastic surgeons in the world. Representing more than 7,000 physician members, the Society is recognized as a leading authority and information source on cosmetic and reconstructive plastic surgery. ASPS comprises more than 94 percent of all board-certified plastic surgeons in the United States. Founded in 1931, the Society represents physicians certified by The American Board of Plastic Surgery or The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. About Lippincott Williams & Wilkins Lippincott Williams & Wilkins (LWW) is a leading international publisher for healthcare professionals and students with nearly 300 periodicals and 1,500 books in more than 100 disciplines publishing under the LWW brand, as well as content-based sites and online corporate and customer services.

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