Body Image Distress and Quality of Life of Oral Cancer Patients before and after Curative Surgical Treatment at a Tertiary Cancer Center

Background: Patients with oral cancer experience psychosocial issues. Body image distress (BID) is a crucial psychosocial issue. Diagnosis, treatment, and psychosocial effects can also significantly impact the quality of life (QoL). Aim: The aim of this study was to determine the BID and QoL of oral cancer patients before and after surgery and their relationship with each other. Setting and Design: This longitudinal prospective study was conducted at a tertiary cancer center in Southern India. Materials and Methods: Patients with oral cancer ( n = 44) whose primary treatment modality was surgery were assessed using the Inventory to Measure and Assess imaGe disturbancE-Head and Neck and Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Head and Neck before and after surgery. Statistical Analysis: Paired t -test, Pearson correlation coefficient, and one-way analysis of variance were used to analyze the data. Results: The study found that BID increased and QoL decreased after surgery. A significant negative correlation was observed between QoL and the BID. Although there was no significant difference in QoL and BID based on sociodemographic factors, there was a significant difference in QoL and BID based on the oral cavity subsites. Conclusion: The findings concluded the presence of body image concerns and affected QoL after surgery in oral cancer patients, which required psychosocial prehabilitation and rehabilitation.