title: [Body image of women with breast cancer: a systematic review of literature].
abstract: Women experience a major process of reshaping their body image when they deal with breast cancer. This article seeks to understand the relationship that breast cancer and its treatment have in the process of (re)construction of a woman's body image. The ultimate objective is to promote knowledge to train health professionals to become more aware of a woman's quality of life. A systematic review of the literature of scientific articles published between 2004 and 2009 available in three scientific databases was conducted and a total of 56 articles were reviewed and grouped into four thematic categories. There is a pressing need for further studies on the socio-cultural characteristics of women with breast cancer, the differences of (re)construction of body image of young and older women, and Brazilian publications about the personal experience and socio-cultural context of women with breast cancer.
authors.affiliation: Escola de Enfermagem de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo. Av. Bandeirantes 3900, Monte Alegre. 14040-902 Ribeirão Preto SP. danibarsotti@yahoo.com.br
authors.forename: Daniela Barsotti
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Santos
authors.forename: Elisabeth Meloni
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Vieira
mesh_terms: D001828:Body Image; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans