| This single-case study explored the lived experiences of 17 young working women with breast cancer and their perceptions of care received from their cancer treatment centers. The study used first-person accounts, as well as features and characteristics of phenomenology, to collect and analyze the data. Data was gathered through in-depth, semi-structured interviews with 17 young breast cancer patients living in the United States provided the study foundation. This study defined breast cancer patients as employed women under the age of 40 at the time of diagnosis. A pilot study confirmed the effectiveness of the interview protocol for collecting data. The interview protocol consisted of 31 questions and demographic information designed to explore the physical, emotional, social, and socioeconomic effects of breast cancer treatment.;The majority of women interviewed had chemotherapy and lymph node removal, causing experiences with changes in cognitive skills, intimacy issues, lymphedema, and early menopause. Some women evidenced emotional scars from their experiences and the majority feared recurrence. Regarding the cancer treatment centers, the studied women wanted better communication, more integration of care through teaming, more information on preventing side effects of treatment, more research on side effects of cancer drugs, especially as related to fertility, more secondary services to assist patients during and after treatment, and more inquiry into their cancer patient care experience. None of their physicians mentioned the importance of the mind and body connection for positive health. |
