“Was Just Very Glad to Get Those Goddamn Things Out” Women’s Experiences Accessing Reconstructive Breast Surgery: Practicalities and Selfhood

Abstract:

Over the course of the past few decades, breast cancer has become the world’s most common form of cancer, causing the most lost disability-adjusted life years by women than any other type of cancer. However, as advances in cancer treatments are being made, more and more women are surviving the disease. Previous research on post-mastectomy reconstructive breast surgery has generally concluded that women who choose to undergo these procedures tend to have better perceived outcomes than those who do not. For this study, three survivors of breast cancer were interviewed using the semi-structured interview format. Each of the survivors had elected to undergo a different type of procedure post-mastectomy: one chose silicone implants, one chose a DIEP flap procedure, and one elected to have no reconstruction after mastectomy. Their interviews were transcribed and later coded for common and outlying themes. All three women commented on experiencing levels of distress and body-dysmorphia regardless of their chosen procedure. It was found that rather than only the women who underwent reconstructive procedures perceiving better illness outcomes, the women overall had better perceived outcomes when they were able to exercise autonomy in their surgical care. It was also found that perhaps more important to the recovery process and the women’s ideas of selfhood was feeling supported by their physicians and their kinship networks.