Abstract
BACKGROUND: Breast cancer (BC) is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths among women worldwide. Mastectomy, the surgical removal of the breast is a common treatment option. Evaluating the Quality of Life (QoL) after such a procedure is crucial. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted at King Khalid University Hospital (KKUH) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The study population included females aged 18 years and above who had undergone mastectomy between 2015 and 2024. The culturally adapted BREAST-Q scale, and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) were used in the study. RESULTS: Out of 329 patients, the survey was filled out by only 93 patients, of whom only 52 were included after applying the exclusion criteria. The study found an overall high satisfaction rate and low levels of anxiety and depression among the participants, with median and interquartile range (IQR) scores of 45.0 ± 11.3 for BREAST-Q, 4.5 ± 5.3 for HADS-D, and 4.0 ± 6.0 for HADS-A. Moreover, younger females reported lower levels of satisfaction compared to older females. Additionally, there was a trend of higher satisfaction as the time since surgery increased. However, these observations were not statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides insights into the psychosocial well-being of mastectomy patients in Saudi Arabia. A valuable tool, the culturally adapted BREAST-Q, can aid in the assessment of psychosocial well-being among Saudi mastectomy patients. Age and time since surgery affect psychosocial well-being, with younger women reporting lower satisfaction. This emphasizes the need for tailored care for younger mastectomy patients.