Impact of online cognitive behavioral therapy on body image and quality of life in patients with breast cancer following surgery: A prospective interventional study

Background: Women undergoing breast cancer surgery commonly experience persistent body image (BI) concerns and reduced quality of life (QoL). Evidence regarding the effectiveness of online cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) using brief standardized measures across diverse surgical populations remains limited. Objectives: The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of online CBT–based psychological intervention on BI among women who underwent breast cancer surgery. The secondary objective was to assess changes in QoL following the intervention and to examine associations between outcome changes and selected sociodemographic and clinical variables. Materials and Methods: A quantitative pretest–posttest interventional study was conducted among women with breast cancer recruited through a digital oncology platform in India. Eighty-five patients were screened, 75 completed baseline assessments, and 56 completed postintervention assessments after 3 months. BI and QoL were measured using the Body Image Scale (BIS) and FACT-G7. A CBT-based psychological intervention was delivered through digital and telephone-based modes. Nonparametric analyses were performed. Results: BI significantly improved following the intervention (median BIS: 9.0 to 8.0; P , 0.008), as did QoL ( P , 0.003). Improvements in BI were associated with age and menstrual status, whereas QoL improvements did not differ significantly across the clinical and demographic variables examined. The correlation between BI and QoL was weak and nonsignificant. Conclusion: Online CBT-based psychological interventions were associated with significant improvements in BI and QoL among women following breast cancer surgery, supporting the integration of accessible psycho-oncology services into routine cancer care.