Psychosocial Effect of Appearance Changes Associated With Cancer: A Scoping Review

This scoping review aimed to synthesize the psychosocial effects of appearance changes and identify knowledge gaps. Cancer, along with its treatment, often leads to changes in appearance. Understanding the psychosocial effects of these changes is crucial for improving the quality of life of cancer survivors. The scoping review of the peer-reviewed literature was conducted using systematic search of PubMed, CINAHL, and PsycARTICLES databases from 2014 to April 2024. Twenty-six studies addressing appearance changes related to specific cancer types, survivor demographics, treatment stages, or providing a comprehensive overview irrespective of cancer type or attributes were reviewed. Key findings were psychosocial effects based on survivors’ age and cancer type, universal psychosocial effects transcending cancer types and treatment methods, the need for appearance-related care, and the gap between survivors' needs and the care provided. Overall, this review highlights that appearance changes are associated with significant psychosocial challenges across diverse groups of cancer survivors and remain insufficiently addressed in current care. To bridge the gap between the needs of cancer survivors and appearance care provided by healthcare professionals, further appearance-related research is essential. Additionally, research should focus on promoting the socialization of appearance care by fostering collaboration not only within the medical field but also with domains such as the beauty industry.