Abstract
Much work on psychosocial sequelae of breast cancer has
been guided by the assumption that body image and partner reaction
issues are focal. In a tri-ethnic sample of 223 women treated for
early-stage breast cancer within the prior year, the authors
assessed a wider range of concerns and relations to well-being.
Strongest concerns were recurrence, pain, death, harm from adjuvant
treatment, and bills. Body-image concerns were moderate; concern
about rejection was minimal. Younger women had stronger sexual and
partner-related concerns than older women. Hispanic women had many
stronger concerns and more disruption than other women. Life and
pain concerns and sexuality concerns contributed uniquely to
predicting emotional and psychosexual disruption; life and pain
concerns and rejection concerns contributed to predicting social
disruption. In sum, adaptation to breast cancer is a process bearing
on several aspects of the patient's life space.
