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Body modifications following cancer treatment… a systematic review

Cancer treatment can lead to a variety of changes to the body for cancer survivors. Such bodily changes have the potential to negatively impact upon survivors’ feelings of body insecurity. Body modifications (eg tattoos, piercings and cosmetic surgery) have potential to allow such survivors to reclaim a sense of body autonomy and body-related self-esteem. However, to our knowledge, there has not been a systematic review on this topic before. In light of this, the goal of this study is to conduct a systematic review to develop a greater understanding of body modification following cancer treatment. Through understanding this aspect of how cancer survivors cope with body image following cancer treatment, we can understand how to better support post-treatment people. This study sets out to provide this greater understanding by systematically searching the academic literature on the body modification of post-treatment cancer patients. Research papers covering the experience of body modification post-cancer treatment, as well as any studies on the relationship between body modification and key outcomes in cancer survivorship research. Research findings relating to body modification will be extracted from the included articles and synthesised. These identified factors will then be presented in a written report.