Body Image: A Bridge Between Depression and Quality of Life in Women With Cancer

BACKGROUND: Cancer and its treatments often result in visible bodily changes and emotional distress, affecting self-perception, mood, and overall well-being. Body image, particularly in women with breast cancer, plays a key role in shaping psychological adjustment and quality of life. However, its potential mediating role between depression and quality of life in cancer populations remains underexplored. AIMS: This cross-sectional study investigated whether body image statistically mediates the relationship between depression and quality of life in female patients with cancer and whether this differs between patients with breast cancer compared to other cancer diagnoses. METHODS: Overall, 160 women with cancer aged 18-65 were recruited from a single clinical site. Participants completed the Body Image Scale (BIS), the depression subscale of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS-D), and the EORTC QLQ-C30 to assess quality life. U-Mann Whitney tests were used for group comparisons. Mediation analyses testing two separate models for breast cancer and non-breast cancer groups were conducted. RESULTS: In breast cancer group, body image statistically mediated the relationship between depression and quality of life. Depression was associated with greater body image distress, which in turn, predicted lower quality of life. In contrast, among patient with other cancer diagnosis, depression directly impacted quality of life without a significant mediating effect from body image. CONCLUSIONS: These findings underscore the unique psychological burden of breast cancer and highlight the importance of addressing body image in psychological interventions to improve the quality of life in this population.