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Living into old age with the consequences of breast cancer

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
1462-3889
311-316
Fenlon, Deborah
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Frankland, Jane
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Foster, Claire
00786ac1-bd47-4aeb-a0e2-40e058695b73
Brooks, Cindy
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Coleman, Peter
1517a689-0f1d-40a4-b532-e19618933c78
Payne, Sheila
d7c97f41-ec69-4157-9339-ca07c521fbcc
Seymour, Jane
b001b1f3-1ac4-495d-837f-10ca5154b5af
Simmonds, Peter
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Stephens, Richard
fd5906e4-8b8e-465c-b5c2-55e1f884492f
Walsh, Bronagh
5818243e-048d-4b4b-88c5-231b0e419427
Addington-Hall, Julia
87560cc4-7562-4f9b-b908-81f3b603fdd8
Fenlon, Deborah
52f9a9f1-1643-449c-9856-258ef563342c
Frankland, Jane
94f07ae3-6361-4572-b716-6fdc4ba3c75a
Foster, Claire
00786ac1-bd47-4aeb-a0e2-40e058695b73
Brooks, Cindy
8a2fcddf-44b1-4f74-a14f-d877dddf58bd
Coleman, Peter
1517a689-0f1d-40a4-b532-e19618933c78
Payne, Sheila
d7c97f41-ec69-4157-9339-ca07c521fbcc
Seymour, Jane
b001b1f3-1ac4-495d-837f-10ca5154b5af
Simmonds, Peter
c54145a2-bcbc-4296-8ba8-57bf72aadb05
Stephens, Richard
fd5906e4-8b8e-465c-b5c2-55e1f884492f
Walsh, Bronagh
5818243e-048d-4b4b-88c5-231b0e419427
Addington-Hall, Julia
87560cc4-7562-4f9b-b908-81f3b603fdd8

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), 311-316. (doi:10.1016/j.ejon.2012.08.004). (PMID:22947216)

Record type: Article

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.

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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
ORCID for Jane Frankland: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0002-3813-8879
ORCID for Claire Foster: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0002-4703-8378
ORCID for Bronagh Walsh: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0003-1008-0545

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Date deposited: 30 Jan 2013 16:14
Last modified: 15 Mar 2024 03:25

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Contributors

Author: Deborah Fenlon
Author: Jane Frankland ORCID iD
Author: Claire Foster ORCID iD
Author: Cindy Brooks
Author: Peter Coleman
Author: Sheila Payne
Author: Jane Seymour
Author: Peter Simmonds
Author: Richard Stephens
Author: Bronagh Walsh ORCID iD

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