Skip to main content
Key Specialties
Cardiology Diabetology Endocrinology Gastroenterology Geriatrics and Gerontology Gynecology and Obstetrics Hematology Infectious Disease Internal Medicine Nephrology Neurology Oncology Pediatrics Respiratory Medicine Rheumatology Surgery
Congress Coverage
2024 ACC Congress 2023 ESMO Congress 2023 EASD Congress 2023 ERS Congress 2023 ESC Congress 2023 EHA Congress 2023 ASCO Annual Meeting
Clinical Collections
Advances in Alzheimer’s

At a glance: The ONWARDS insulin icodec trials

A round-up of the ONWARDS phase 3 clinical trials evaluating the novel weekly insulin icodec in people with diabetes.
ADVANCED SEARCH
Log in
Top
Supportive Care in Cancer
Published in: Supportive Care in Cancer 10/2012

01-10-2012 | Original Article

Effects of alopecia on body image and quality of life of Turkish cancer women with or without headscarf

Authors: Ozgul Erol, Gulbeyaz Can, Adnan Aydıner

Published in: Supportive Care in Cancer | Issue 10/2012

Login to get access

Abstract

Purpose

The aim of this study was to find out the effects of chemotherapy-related alopecia on body image and quality of life of Turkish women who have cancer with or without headscarves and factors affecting them.

Methods

This descriptive study was conducted with 204 women who received chemotherapy at the Istanbul University Institute of Oncology, Turkey. The Patient Description Form, Body Image Scale and Nightingale Symptom Assessment Scale were used in data collection. Statistical analyses were performed using descriptive statistics and non-parametric tests. Logistic regression analysis was done to predict the factors affecting body image and quality of life of the patients.

Results

No difference was found between women wearing headscarves and those who did not in respect of their body image. However, women who wore headscarves who had no alopecia felt less dissatisfied with their scars, and women not wearing headscarves who had no alopecia have been feeling less self-conscious, less dissatisfied with their appearance. There was difference in terms of quality of life: women wearing headscarves had worse physical, psychological and general well-being than others.

Conclusion

Although there were many important factors, multivariate analysis showed that for body image, having alopecia and wearing headscarves; and for quality of life, having alopecia were the variables that had considerable effects.
Literature
1.
Freedman TG (1994) Social and cultural dimensions of hair loss in women treated for breast cancer. Cancer Nurs 17(4):334–341PubMedCrossRef
2.
Munsted K, Manthey N, Sachsse S et al (1997) Changes in self-concept and body image during alopecia induced cancer chemotherapy. Support Care Cancer 5:139–143CrossRef
3.
Helms RL, O’hea EL, Corso M (2008) Body image issues in women with breast cancer. Psychol Health Med 13(3):313–325PubMedCrossRef
4.
Batchelor D (2001) Hair and cancer chemotherapy: consequences and nursing care, a literature study. Eur J Cancer Care 10:147–163CrossRef
5.
Rosman S (2004) Cancer and stigma: experience of patients with chemotherapy-induced alopecia. Patient Educ Counsel 52:333–339CrossRef
6.
Lemieux J, Maunsell E, Provencher L (2008) Chemotherapy induced alopecia and effects on quality of life among women with breast cancer. A literature review. Psycho-Oncology 17:317–328PubMedCrossRef
7.
8.
Randall J, Ream E (2005) Hair loss with chemotherapy: at a loss over its management. Eur J Cancer Care 14:223–231CrossRef
9.
Hilton S, Hunt K, Emslie C et al (2008) Have men been overlooked? A comparison of young men and women’s experiences of chemotherapy-induced alopecia. Psycho-Oncology 17:577–583PubMedCrossRef
10.
Hansen HP (2007) Hair loss induced by chemotherapy: an anthropological study of women, cancer and rehabilitation. Anthropol Med 14(1):15–26CrossRef
11.
Carelle N, Piotto E, Bellanger A et al (2002) Changing patient perceptions of the side effects of cancer chemotherapy. Cancer 95:155–163PubMedCrossRef
12.
Katsimbri P, Bamias A, Pavlidis N (2000) Prevention of chemotherapy-induced alopecia using an effective scalp cooling system. Eur J Cancer 36:766–771PubMedCrossRef
13.
Nakashima-Kamimura N, Nishimaki K, Mori T et al (2008) Prevention of chemotherapy-induced alopecia by the anti-death FNK protein. Life Sci 82:218–225PubMedCrossRef
14.
Mols F, Van den Hurk CJ, Vingerhoets JJM et al (2009) Scalp cooling to prevent chemotherapy-induced hair loss: practical and clinical considerations. Support Care Cancer 17:181–189PubMedCrossRef
15.
Hopwood P, Fletcher I, Lee A et al (2001) A body image scale for use with cancer patients. Eur J Cancer 37:189–197PubMedCrossRef
16.
Can G, Aydiner A (2011) Development and validation of the Nightingale Symptom Assessment Scale (N-SAS) and predictors of the quality of life of the cancer patients in Turkey. Eur J Oncol Nurs 15(1):3–11PubMedCrossRef
17.
McGarvey EL, Baum LD, Pinkerton RC (2001) Psychological sequelae and alopecia among women with cancer. Cancer Pract 9(6):283–289PubMedCrossRef
18.
Frith H, Harcourt D, Fussell A (2007) Anticipating an altered appearance: women undergoing chemotherapy treatment for breast cancer. Eur J Oncol Nurs 11:385–391PubMedCrossRef
19.
Saatci E, Koçak Y, Bozdemir N et al (2007) Effect of chemotherapy on the quality of Life in patients with lymphoma. Marmara Med J 20(2):98–103
20.
21.
22.
Van den Hurk CJG, Mols F, Vingerhoets AJJM, Breed WPM (2009) Impact of alopecia and scalp cooling on the well-being of breast cancer patients. Psycho-Oncology. doi:10.​1002/​PON.​1615
23.
24.
Harcourt D, Frith H (2008) Women’s experiences of an altered appearance during chemotherapy. J Health Psychol 13(5):597–606PubMedCrossRef
25.
Carpenter JS, Brockopp DY (1994) Evaluation of self-esteem of women with cancer receiving chemotherapy. Oncol Nurs Forum 21(4):751–757PubMed
26.
Avis NE, Crawford S, Manuel J (2005) Quality of life among younger women with breast cancer. J Clin Oncol 23(5):3322–3330PubMedCrossRef
27.
Engel J, Kerr J, Schlesinger-Raab A et al (2004) Quality of life following breast-conserving therapy or mastectomy: results of a 5 year prospective study. Breast J 10:223–231PubMedCrossRef
Metadata
Title
Effects of alopecia on body image and quality of life of Turkish cancer women with or without headscarf
Authors
Ozgul Erol
Gulbeyaz Can
Adnan Aydıner
Publication date
01-10-2012
Publisher
Springer-Verlag
Published in
Supportive Care in Cancer / Issue 10/2012
Print ISSN: 0941-4355
Electronic ISSN: 1433-7339
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-011-1338-y

Other articles of this Issue 10/2012

Supportive Care in Cancer 10/2012 Go to the issue

Original Article

Theory-based predictors of follow-up exercise behavior after a supervised exercise intervention in older breast cancer survivors

Original Article

Psychometric properties of the German version of the Short-Form Supportive Care Needs Survey Questionnaire (SCNS-SF34-G)

Original Article

Treatment-related side effects and quality of life in cancer patients

Original Article

Care and support needs of patients and carers early post-discharge following treatment for non-malignant brain tumour: establishing a new reality

Original Article

Variability and stability of coping in women with breast cancer

Original Article

Changing preferences for information and participation in the last phase of life: a longitudinal study among newly diagnosed advanced lung cancer patients
Webinar | 19-02-2024 | 17:30 (CET)

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on antibody–drug conjugates in cancer

Watch now

Antibody–drug conjugates (ADCs) are novel agents that have shown promise across multiple tumor types. Explore the current landscape of ADCs in breast and lung cancer with our experts, and gain insights into the mechanism of action, key clinical trials data, existing challenges, and future directions.

Dr. Véronique Diéras
Prof. Fabrice Barlesi
Developed by: Springer Medicine
Image Credits