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A Look Good…Feel Better® Survey: Treatment and Its Impact on Cancer Survivors’
Quality of Life – Executive Summary

Cancer’s Impact on Women
A close look at women of all ages, with various types of cancer reveals that the effects of cancer and its treatment are a life-changing experience, affecting significant aspects of their lives.

Cancer impacts more than just a woman’s health, as evidenced by the amount of respondents indicating that cancer treatment pervades virtually all aspects of their lives. Four out of five women (79 percent) say cancer treatment had either a somewhat negative or greatly negative impact on their psychological well-being. Similarly:

74 percent say it played a role in their emotional and spiritual well-being
70 percent say it negatively impacted their ability to be physically active
Two-thirds indicated that cancer treatment had an either somewhat or significant negative impact on their appearance
An almost equal amount say it negatively impacted their sexuality
More than half of respondents say it hindered their social interactions with others
Nearly two in five say it played a negative role in their professional life

In the midst of dealing with their illness, three out of four women say that dealing with cancer has caused their stress level to increase, and 91 percent of women with cancer say that they want to feel in control their lives. Seventy-eight percent of respondents say they experienced some or significant changes in their appearance during treatment.

Nearly half (47 percent) of all women interviewed feel that their lives will never return to normal. Importantly, 55 percent of women who experienced changes in their appearance express concern that their lives will never return to normal, compared to 21 percent of those experiencing no changes in appearance.

Appearance Changes Significantly Impact Quality of Life
The relationship between appearance and a perceived quality of life is most marked among women who experienced a significant change in their appearance during treatment for cancer.

78 percent of all women interviewed say they experienced either some or significant changes in their appearance during treatment; 31 percent of women report significant changes, and 47 percent report some changes
83 percent of women who experience significant or some changes in their appearance associated with treatment say that their overall quality of life was impacted by cancer treatment
Nearly two-thirds of women who experienced a significant change in their appearance rate their quality of life during treatment low in the area of appearance, compared to 37 percent of women who experienced some changes to their appearance during treatment and 16 percent of women who experienced no changes; Few women (10 percent) give high ratings to their quality of life during cancer treatment in the area of appearance
Nearly three in four of all women interviewed say they are frustrated by the overall changes their bodies have gone through since treatment

Correlation Between Appearance and Confidence
Women clearly take comfort in keeping up their appearance during cancer treatment. Keeping up their appearance also builds women’s confidence. As a result, women place importance on paying attention to their appearance during treatment, and many change their beauty regimen during this time. However, many women say finding the energy to do so is a challenge.

Nearly nine in ten women (86 percent) interviewed say that looking good helps them feel better, even when not feeling well
Seven in ten women (69 percent) feel that keeping up their appearance makes them feel more confident in their ability to cope with cancer

In light of the benefit they receive by keeping up their appearance…

Seven in ten women (69 percent) feel it is important to pay attention to their appearance with makeup and other beauty products
More than half of the women interviewed have changed their beauty regimen since the start of their treatment
More than half report they do not have the energy to keep up their appearance

How Others See Them
In addition to coping with the appearance affect of cancer, women with cancer are also concerned about the attitudes of those around them, with stronger feelings expressed by women who experienced significant changes in their appearance during treatment.

Nearly half (47 percent) feel that people treat them differently as a result of their cancer treatment; this is especially true among women who have experienced significant changes in their appearance.
Seven in ten women (72 percent) who experienced significant changes in appearance have noticed different treatment from others, compared to 43 percent of women who experienced some changes in appearance and 21 percent of those with no changes
Nearly three in four women (73 percent) say that their relationship with a spouse or significant other was impacted by their treatment experience, with half reporting that there was a significant impact; three in five women (59 percent) feel that their relationships with their children were impacted by their cancer treatment; women also say that their relationships with friends (80 percent), parents (69 percent) and siblings (64 percent) were also affected.

Cancer on the Job
Feelings of being treated differently extend to the workplace for many women, where a number feel that their cancer treatment impacted their professional lives.

Three in five women (59 percent) who worked during treatment say that, when at work, it is important to them to look like they did before treatment. This may partly be due to the fact that 38 percent of women feel that their profession was negatively impacted by their cancer treatment experience.

Workplace experiences include:

Being less productive than before treatment (37 percent)
Being treated differently by co-workers or the boss (33 percent)
Being unable to maintain the workload (28 percent)
Feeling that career advancement opportunities were diminished (21 percent)

Sources of Support
Women obtain support from talking with other cancer patients, and would encourage physicians to recommend support programs to their patients.

Nearly one in three women feel that talking with other cancer patients is very important for coping, while one in five women (20 percent) feel that support from other cancer patients is very important
The majority (77 percent) of women interviewed feel that physicians should recommend support programs to enhance patients’ quality of life

Survey Background and Purpose
The Personal Care Products Council Foundation commissioned Harris Interactive to conduct a study among women who have been treated for cancer within the last five years. The purpose of the study is to understand women’s overall quality of life during their treatment and the relationship between their appearance and their well-being.

LGFB, a free cancer support program is offered nationwide, through a partnership with the Personal Care Products Council Foundation, the American Cancer Society and the National Cosmetology Association.

Survey Methodology
Study results are based on interviews conducted online with 267 women diagnosed with cancer. The survey was conducted between July 30 and August 20, 2002, and its margin of error is plus or minus 5.9 percentage points. Women were screened for the following criteria:

Must have been diagnosed with cancer other than head, neck, melanoma or other skin cancers
Must have been treated with chemotherapy, radiation or surgery in the last five years

Contacts
Misty Bastian, Look Good...Feel Better, 202-331-1770

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