Abstract P5-18-03: Relationships among breast symmetry, appearance investment, and body image dissatisfaction in breast cancer patients undergoing reconstruction

Purpose : Reconstruction as part of treatment for breast cancer is aimed at mitigating body image concerns post-mastectomy. Although algorithms are increasingly being developed to objectively assess breast reconstruction outcomes, previous research has not evaluated associations between objectively quantified breast aesthetic appearance and patient-reported body image outcomes. Further, the role appearance investment plays in a patient9s body image is not well understood. We examined the extent to which objectively quantified breast symmetry and appearance investment were associated with body image dissatisfaction in patients undergoing cancer-related breast reconstruction. Method: Breast cancer patients in different stages of reconstruction (n=190) completed self-report measures of appearance investment and body image dissatisfaction. Vertical extent and horizontal extent symmetry values, which are indicators of breast symmetry across the vertical axis, were calculated from clinical photographs. Associations among symmetry, appearance investment, body image dissatisfaction, and patient clinical factors were examined. Multiple regression was used to evaluate the association of symmetry and appearance investment with body image dissatisfaction. Results : Vertical extent symmetry, but not horizontal extent symmetry, was associated with body image dissatisfaction. Multiple regression results indicated that decreased vertical extent symmetry (β = -0.24, p p : Our findings suggest that quantitatively measured reconstruction outcomes and appearance investment both significantly contribute to an understanding of patient-reported body image satisfaction during breast reconstruction treatment. Future studies are encouraged to utilize algorithms assessing breast aesthetic appearance and to consider patient values as predictors of body image outcomes. Citation Format: Nicklaus KM, Teo I, Reece GP, Huang S-C, Mahajan K, Andon J, Khanal P, Sun CS, Merchant FA, Markey MK, Fingeret MC. Relationships among breast symmetry, appearance investment, and body image dissatisfaction in breast cancer patients undergoing reconstruction [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2017 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2017 Dec 5-9; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2018;78(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P5-18-03.