Perception of women with breast cancer undergoing chemotherapy: a comprehensive analysis

• Published in: Revista Brasileira de Enfermagem Vol. 72; no. suppl 3; pp. 103 - 110
• Main Authors: Medeiros, Marlise Barros de, Silva, Rose Mary Costa Rosa Andrade, Pereira, Eliane Ramos, Melo, Sérgio Henrique da Silva, Joaquim, Fabiana Lopes, Santos, Bianca Marques Dos, Goés, Ticiane Roberta Pinto
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Brazil Associação Brasileira de Enfermagem 01.12.2019
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Alopecia; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols - therapeutic use; Baldness; Breast cancer; Breast Neoplasms; Breast Neoplasms - drug therapy; Breast Neoplasms - psychology; Cancer therapies; Chemotherapy; Consciousness; Drug Therapy; Endocrine therapy; Ethics; Existentialism; Female; Humans; Interviews as Topic; Medical prognosis; Merleau-Ponty, Maurice (1908-1961); Middle Aged; Nursing Care; Oncology; Oncology Nursing; Phenomenology; Philosophy; Philosophy Nursing; Quality of life; Reductionism; Women's Health Services; Womens health
• ISSN: 0034-7167; 1984-0446
• DOI: 10.1590/0034-7167-2018-0165

To comprehensively analyze the perception of women with breast cancer on the experience of undergoing chemotherapy. This was a qualitative, descriptive, phenomenological study, supported by the Merleau-Ponty philosophy. It was conducted in a chemotherapy outpatient clinic with 20 participants who completed a phenomenological interview. The phenomenological data analysis demonstrated that the perception of women about the experience of chemotherapy is about change, not only of the physical body, but of their identity, and that it considers existential aspects. Three categories emerged from the experience of alopecia, fatigue, and spirituality, respectively: the body itself, the current and habitual body, and transcendence. Bodily changes, and the existential implications perceived by the women in this study, analyzed from the Merleau-Ponty perspective, makes it possible to consider body concept, and provides support for humanized care based on singularity and the socio-cultural context.