Abstract
Objective: To reveal the meaning of breast cancer. Materials and method: A narrative research study that selected, using the snowball technique, 11 women (data saturation) diagnosed with breast cancer, on disease remission, and living in the region of Florianópolis (Brazil). Semi-structured interviews were conducted between August and December 2018, and they were subjected to the Collective Subject Discourse technique. Four central ideas emerged from the analysis of the narratives; this article presents the central ideal called “Meaning of the breast cancer diagnosis”, which has eight sense categories. Results: The central idea covers the following categories: “Suffering when facing the diagnosis”, “Fear of the disease and of death”, “Professional inability for bad news”, “Initiatives to streamline treatment”, “Concern and affection with the family members as a driving force to face cancer”, “Difficulties with the family members”, “Support from the family members, from the professionals and/or from the support group”, and “Faith and spirituality”. Conclusions: The discourse reveals that the meaning of the disease diagnosis is linked to the need for treatment, to the support provided by faith, family members, the health team, and support groups, and to the difficulties faced with family members and professionals. These results should imply the provision of specific Nursing care from the diagnostic phase until after cancer remission/survival.
Highlights
The incidence of breast cancer alone justifies the continuous need to conduct studies on this theme
The Collective Subject Discourse (CSD) related to the central idea called “Meaning of the breast cancer diagnosis” emerged from eight sense categories, according to what is presented below
It was revealed that the meanings of breast cancer found in the CSDs and that portray the social representation of the breast cancer diagnosis are strongly influenced by experiences before the disease and by the environment where the women are inserted, with emphasis on the family environment and on the health care provided since the diagnostic phase
Summary
The incidence of breast cancer alone justifies the continuous need to conduct studies on this theme. In Santa Catarina (Brazil), the locus of this study, 3,370 new cases of breast cancer are estimated for 2021 [2] Despite such high incidence and mortality values, the survival rates, mainly in the short- and long-term, have been increasing, considering early diagnosis and new treatments. Nursing professionals must be aware of the impact caused by breast cancer in the social and family life of these women These professionals need to understand the disease to improve the provision of care [6,7,8]
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