Implications of treatment on body image and quality of life.
OBJECTIVE
To describe the changes in body image secondary to the treatment of prostate cancer, and to provide a review of the literature regarding body image assessment and its relationship to quality of life (QOL) among men with prostate cancer.


METHODS
Review of current and classic literature.


CONCLUSIONS
There is strong evidence for the existence of a relationship between body image perception and QOL in men with prostate cancer.


CONCLUSIONS
Understanding the effect of body image changes on QOL will allow us to develop targeted interventions designed to improve the QOL of survivors of prostate cancer.
Division of Hematology/Oncology, Phoenix VA Health Care System, Phoenix, AZ, USA. Joanne.Harrington@va.gov
Joanne M
JM
Harrington
D001828:Body Image; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology*; D011788:Quality of Life