Psychological Outcomes Following Mastectomy & Immediate Reconstruction
Research type
Research Study
Full title
The Evaluation and Comparison of the Psychological Outcomes resulting after Mastectomy and by Immediate Reconstruction of the Breast after Mastectomy: An 8 Year Follow-Up.
IRAS ID
170641
Contact name
Tracey Camburn
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Mid Essex NHS Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 5 months, 29 days
Research summary
Over the past 25 years, the psychological manifestations of women undergoing mastectomy as a treatment for breast cancer has been extensively reported. These include depression, low self-esteem, loss of femininity as well as marital and sexual dysfunction. An increasing number of women now seek breast reconstruction as an integral component of their treatment, often viewed as a ‘reverse mastectomy.’ The beneficial effects of reconstruction have been widely attested, and reports indicate that the majority of women are satisfied with the overall outcome irrespective of the timing (immediate or delayed) or type of procedure undertaken, i.e. autologous (using patient’s own tissue e.g. from the abdomen) and/or non-autologous (implants/expanders).
The initial study, carried out 8 years ago, invited patients to complete a number of validated psychological questionnaires over a period of one year to assess their response to a mastectomy and immediate breast reconstruction. The control group involved an almost equal number of women who underwent a mastectomy alone. In summary, there was no statistical difference in anxiety, depression or any of the wellbeing measures between patients who had reconstruction and those who had mastectomy alone. To date there has been no published report prospectively comparing the long-term psychological outcomes of patients undergoing reconstruction to mastectomy alone. This information would prove conducive in making educated healthcare decisions and limit long-term psychological morbidity amongst breast cancer patients.This study aims to carry out an 8-year review by recruiting the same patient population and inviting them to attend Broomfield Hospital, Chelmsford, to complete the Patient Satisfaction Survey and for those who had reconstruction, the Patient Aesthetic Survey. Both these surveys were completed in the initial study at the end of the 12-month period.
REC name
North West - Liverpool Central Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
15/NW/0056
Date of REC Opinion
14 Jan 2015
REC opinion
Unfavourable Opinion