ArticleSupportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer2016
Investigation of body image as a mediator of the effects of bowel and GI symptoms on psychological distress in female survivors of rectal and anal cancer.
Article in Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer, 2016. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 14 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
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Who cites it
14 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 33 citations in OpenAlex.
- Association between coping strategies and benefit finding in adult cancer patients: a meta-analysis.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2026Pooled it
- Body Image Following Ostomy Surgery for Cancer: A Systematic Review.Psycho-oncology · 2026Pooled it
- Psychobiotics Ameliorate Depression and Anxiety Status in Surgical Oncology Patients: Results from theNutrients · 2025Trial
- "Nobody Told Me": A Qualitative Study of Sexual and Reproductive Concerns After Treatment for Early-Onset Colorectal Cancer.Diseases of the colon and rectum · 2026Article
- Following Gastrointestinal Surgery for Cancer: How Patients Pursue Surgical Treatment.Behavioral sciences (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Article
- Factors associated with anxiety in colorectal cancer survivors: a scoping review.Journal of cancer survivorship : research and practice · 2026Article
- Body image as a mediator between bowel dysfunction symptoms and psychological outcomes among patients with colorectal cancer.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2025Article
- Body image and quality of life undergoing totally robotic versus robotic-assisted distal gastrectomy: a retrospective propensity score matched cohort study.BMC surgery · 2024Article
- Cancer-related psychosocial challenges.General psychiatry · 2022Review
- Association between Subjective Body Image, Body Mass Index and Psychological Symptoms in Chinese Adolescents: A Nationwide Cross-Sectional Study.Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) · 2021Article
- Racial differences in anxiety, depression, and quality of life in women with polycystic ovary syndrome.F&S reports · 2021Article
- Sexual Function in Women with Colorectal/Anal Cancer.Sexual medicine reviews · 2019Review
- Anxiety and Depression in Cancer Survivors.The Medical clinics of North America · 2017Review
- Emotional Distress Prior to Chemoradiation for Rectal or Anal Cancer.In vivo (Athens, Greece)Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
6 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
Abstract
purposeTreatment for rectal and anal cancer (RACa) can result in persistent bowel and gastrointestinal (GI) dysfunction. Body image problems may develop over time and exacerbate symptom-related distress. RACa survivors are an understudied group, however, and factors contributing to post-treatment well-being are not well understood. This study examined whether poorer body image explained the relation between symptom severity and psychological distress.
methodsParticipants (N = 70) completed the baseline assessment of a sexual health intervention study. Bootstrap methods tested body image as a mediator between bowel and GI symptom severity and two indicators of psychological distress (depressive and anxiety symptoms), controlling for relevant covariates. Measures included the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Core Quality of Life Questionnaire (EORTC-QLQ-CR38) Diarrhea, GI Symptoms, and Body Image subscales and Brief Symptom Index Depression and Anxiety subscales.
resultsWomen averaged 55 years old (SD = 11.6), White (79 %), and were 4 years post-treatment. Greater Depression was related to poorer Body Image (r = -.61) and worse Diarrhea (r = .35) and GI Symptoms (r = .48). Greater Anxiety was related to poorer Body Image (r = -.42) and worse GI Symptoms (r = .45), but not Diarrhea (r = .20). Body Image mediated the effects of bowel and GI symptoms on Depression, but not on Anxiety.
conclusionsLong-term bowel and GI dysfunction are distressing and affect how women perceive and relate to their bodies, exacerbating survivorship difficulties. Interventions to improve adjustment post-treatment should address treatment side effects, but also target body image problems to alleviate depressive symptoms. Reducing anxiety may require other strategies. Body image may be a key modifiable factor to improve well-being in this understudied population. Longitudinal research is needed to confirm findings.
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Registered trials
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