A Qualitative Exploration of Survivorship Experiences of Breast Cancer Patients from Northern Kerala, India

Abstract

Introduction: Early detection and advancements in treatment have led to an increasing number of women living with breast cancer globally. The issues and challenges faced by these women post-treatment was varied, and this study aims at looking into the survivorship experiences of women who have completed six years of treatment.

Materials and Methods: Survivors diagnosed in 2016 were taken from the Hospital Based Cancer Registry of a Tertiary Cancer Centre (TCC). From those under follow-up and traceable in 2022, in-depth interviews were conducted among 15 long-term survivors, selected purposefully, to understand their survivorship experiences. The interviews followed the principle of saturation. The transcribed interviews were analyzed manually. The codes were clustered into themes as per the emerging patterns. The Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research was used for study reporting (COREQ).

Results: The analysis followed a deductive coding approach. The themes that emerged from the interviews are the following 1) survivor identity 2) The survivor and stigma 3) The socioeconomic support 4) Social expectations 5) Service provision-related experiences 6) Survivor’s role as ambassadors.

Conclusion: Even after successful treatment completion, breast cancer survivors were experiencing challenges and issues both personally and from society even after 6 years. The needs and expectations of these survivors during their post-follow-up period also cannot be ignored. The survivors can be effectively utilized as ambassadors for promoting early detection and reducing apprehensions among newly detected patients. Implications for Cancer Survivors: A deeper understanding of the survivorship experiences will help formulate policies for improving the quality of survivorship, as such guidelines are non-existent in most low-middle-income countries.