Evaluating Breast Cancer Patients Modesty During Radiotherapy. A Multicentric Study

Patients affected by breast cancer undergo radiotherapy with bare chest and can therefore live the moments in which they undress in front of the radiation therapy technologists (RTTs) in charge of their treatment as an extremely embarrassing one. Furthermore, for some of these patients the relationship with their bodies has indeed changed since surgery (i.e. mutilations, scars), particularly for specific age or socio-economic groups. In this context, sub-standard care in maintaining modesty during breast cancer radiotherapy has been reported in literature, even if poorly studied. Aim of this multicentric observational study is to describe how modesty is perceived by patients undergoing radiotherapy for breast cancer.