Living into old age with the consequences of breast cancer
Living into old age with the consequences of breast cancer
Purpose of the research: breast cancer survival rates are improving with over 60% likely to live 20 years. As 30% diagnoses occur in women over 70 the prevalence of breast cancer survivors living into older age is increasing. The specific needs and experiences of this group have rarely been addressed. This study aimed to explore older women's experience of living with breast cancer alongside other health conditions, and to identify their information and support needs and preferences.
Methods and sample: data were collected from 28 semi-structured qualitative interviews and 2 focus groups (n = 14), with breast cancer survivors aged 70-90, and were analysed using thematic analysis.
Key results: these older breast cancer survivors experienced a range of long-term physical problems resulting from treatment, including poor cosmetic results and poor shoulder movements, and bras and prostheses were often unsuitable. Many were keen to preserve their body image ideal irrespective of age. Reconstruction was rarely discussed, but all would have liked this option. Older women wanted to be treated as individuals rather than uniformly as older people, with their personal physical and social needs (including co-morbidities) taken into account. They expressed a preference for information direct from health professionals.
Conclusions: many breast cancer survivors will live into advanced old age with permanent physical and emotional consequences of their treatment. Holistic and personalized assessment of needs becomes increasingly important with age, particularly with comorbidity. Effective rehabilitative care is important to reduce the impact of breast cancer into old age.
breast cancer, cancer survivorship, old age, elderly, cancer experience, information needs
311-316
Fenlon, Deborah
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Frankland, Jane
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Foster, Claire
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Brooks, Cindy
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Coleman, Peter
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Payne, Sheila
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Seymour, Jane
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Simmonds, Peter
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Stephens, Richard
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Walsh, Bronagh
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Addington-Hall, Julia
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June 2013
Fenlon, Deborah
52f9a9f1-1643-449c-9856-258ef563342c
Frankland, Jane
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Foster, Claire
00786ac1-bd47-4aeb-a0e2-40e058695b73
Brooks, Cindy
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Coleman, Peter
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Payne, Sheila
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Seymour, Jane
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Simmonds, Peter
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Stephens, Richard
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Walsh, Bronagh
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Addington-Hall, Julia
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Fenlon, Deborah, Frankland, Jane, Foster, Claire, Brooks, Cindy, Coleman, Peter, Payne, Sheila, Seymour, Jane, Simmonds, Peter, Stephens, Richard, Walsh, Bronagh and Addington-Hall, Julia
(2013)
Living into old age with the consequences of breast cancer.
European Journal of Oncology Nursing, 17 (3), .
(doi:10.1016/j.ejon.2012.08.004).
(PMID:22947216)
Abstract
Purpose of the research: breast cancer survival rates are improving with over 60% likely to live 20 years. As 30% diagnoses occur in women over 70 the prevalence of breast cancer survivors living into older age is increasing. The specific needs and experiences of this group have rarely been addressed. This study aimed to explore older women's experience of living with breast cancer alongside other health conditions, and to identify their information and support needs and preferences.
Methods and sample: data were collected from 28 semi-structured qualitative interviews and 2 focus groups (n = 14), with breast cancer survivors aged 70-90, and were analysed using thematic analysis.
Key results: these older breast cancer survivors experienced a range of long-term physical problems resulting from treatment, including poor cosmetic results and poor shoulder movements, and bras and prostheses were often unsuitable. Many were keen to preserve their body image ideal irrespective of age. Reconstruction was rarely discussed, but all would have liked this option. Older women wanted to be treated as individuals rather than uniformly as older people, with their personal physical and social needs (including co-morbidities) taken into account. They expressed a preference for information direct from health professionals.
Conclusions: many breast cancer survivors will live into advanced old age with permanent physical and emotional consequences of their treatment. Holistic and personalized assessment of needs becomes increasingly important with age, particularly with comorbidity. Effective rehabilitative care is important to reduce the impact of breast cancer into old age.
Text
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- Author's Original
More information
e-pub ahead of print date: 1 September 2012
Published date: June 2013
Keywords:
breast cancer, cancer survivorship, old age, elderly, cancer experience, information needs
Organisations:
Faculty of Health Sciences, Centre for Innovation & Leadership
Identifiers
Local EPrints ID: 347683
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/347683
ISSN: 1462-3889
PURE UUID: c0d3f8c9-058e-4989-a771-7c38c2c9a5a4
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Date deposited: 30 Jan 2013 16:14
Last modified: 09 Nov 2024 02:53
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Contributors
Author:
Deborah Fenlon
Author:
Peter Coleman
Author:
Sheila Payne
Author:
Jane Seymour
Author:
Peter Simmonds
Author:
Richard Stephens
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