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Psychological Aspects of Breast Reconstruction

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Oncoplastic and Reconstructive Breast Surgery

Abstract

Understanding the psychological aspects of breast reconstruction really begins with seeking understanding of the psychological impact of a breast cancer diagnosis and the ensuing treatments and therapies. Much research has focused on reactions to surgery and to adjunct therapy, rather than to the reaction women have to the diagnosis alone [1], though clearly breast cancer specialists have borne witness to the person-dependent range of emotions that can surface as women face the breast cancer diagnosis. Women’s reactions can be said to fall along a continuum from what may appear as equanimity (e.g. their proceeding through life “as normal” during the period of decision-making and awaiting treatment) to feeling completely undone emotionally and in some instances almost unable to move forward with life’s general tasks and the decisions regarding treatment choices.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Creative Solutions, Southport, NC, USA

    Barbara Rabinowitz

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  1. Barbara Rabinowitz
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Our Lady of Grace Hospital, Positivo University, Curitiba, Brazil

    Cicero Urban

  2. Plastic and Reconstructive Division, European Institute of Oncology, Milan, Italy

    Mario Rietjens

  3. Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, USA

    Mahmoud El-Tamer

  4. Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, USA

    Virgilio S. Sacchini

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Rabinowitz, B. (2019). Psychological Aspects of Breast Reconstruction. In: Urban, C., Rietjens, M., El-Tamer, M., Sacchini, V.S. (eds) Oncoplastic and Reconstructive Breast Surgery. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-62927-8_70

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-62927-8_70

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-62925-4

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-62927-8

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