"I Wasn't Gonna Let It Stop Me": Exploring Women's Experiences of Getting Through Chemotherapy for Ovarian Cancer

• Published in: Cancer nursing Vol. 42; no. 2; p. E31
• Main Authors: Staneva, Aleksandra A, Beesley, Vanessa L, Niranjan, Navin, Gibson, Alexandra F, Rowlands, Ingrid, Webb, Penelope M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01.03.2019
• Subjects: Adaptation, Psychological; Adult; Antineoplastic Agents - therapeutic use; Female; Humans; Middle Aged; Narration; Ovarian Neoplasms - drug therapy; Ovarian Neoplasms - psychology; Qualitative Research
• DOI: 10.1097/NCC.0000000000000574

Many women with ovarian cancer experience significant chemotherapy-related adverse effects during treatment and thus cannot complete it without dose reductions and/or delays. There is some indication that chemotherapy completion is associated with improved survival, although currently little is known about what helps women get through chemotherapy. The aim of this study was to explore women's accounts of the factors they believed were helpful during their ovarian cancer treatment. Using a qualitative approach within a critical realist framework, we conducted interviews with 18 women who had received chemotherapy for ovarian cancer and analyzed the data thematically. We identified 3 main themes related to women's experiences of dealing with chemotherapy: "optimistic tenacity," which illustrates a specific stoic identity that women assumed during treatment; "self-care," which reflects the health behaviors and activities women engaged in and lifestyle adjustments they made; and "support systems," which emphasizes the importance of social, emotional, and medical support and the specific needs shared by women undergoing treatment for ovarian cancer. Our findings contribute to a deeper understanding of women's unique experiences of treatment that may influence whether they complete chemotherapy for ovarian cancer. This study highlights the central role of women's optimistic determination within a wider self-caring and well-supported context of treatment; we aim to provide feedback and guidance to health professionals caring for women with ovarian cancer.