“Lights and Shadows”: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis of the Lived Experience of Being Diagnosed With Breast Cancer During Pregnancy
Cancer diagnosed during pregnancy is a rare event. The most common type of malignancy diagnosed in pregnant women is breast cancer, whose incidence is expected to raise in the next future due to delayed childbirth, as well as to the increased occurrence of the disease at young age. Pregnant women di...
Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , |
---|---|
Format: | Article |
Language: | English |
Published: |
Frontiers Media S.A.
2021-04-01
|
Series: | Frontiers in Psychology |
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.620353/full |
id |
doaj-3d05fab80ade4a20a2e935b14076e8d2 |
---|---|
record_format |
Article |
spelling |
doaj-3d05fab80ade4a20a2e935b14076e8d22021-04-01T04:36:03ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychology1664-10782021-04-011210.3389/fpsyg.2021.620353620353“Lights and Shadows”: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis of the Lived Experience of Being Diagnosed With Breast Cancer During PregnancyFederica Facchin0Giovanna Scarfone1Giancarlo Tamanza2Silvia Ravani3Federica Francini4Fedro Alessandro Peccatori5Eugenia Di Loreto6Andrea Dell’Acqua7Emanuela Saita8Department of Psychology, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Milan, ItalyGynecology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Ca’ Granda, Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, ItalyDepartment of Psychology, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Milan, ItalyFaculty of Psychology, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Milan, ItalyFaculty of Psychology, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Milan, ItalyFertility and Procreation Unit, Division of Gynecologic Oncology, European Institute of Oncology IRCCS, Milan, ItalyGynecology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Ca’ Granda, Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, ItalyGynecology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Ca’ Granda, Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, ItalyDepartment of Psychology, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Milan, ItalyCancer diagnosed during pregnancy is a rare event. The most common type of malignancy diagnosed in pregnant women is breast cancer, whose incidence is expected to raise in the next future due to delayed childbirth, as well as to the increased occurrence of the disease at young age. Pregnant women diagnosed with breast cancer are exposed to multiple sources of stress, which may lead to poorer obstetric outcomes, such as preterm birth and low birth weight. In addition, pregnancy involves physiological changes in the breasts that may blur the signs of cancer, with delayed diagnosis and poor prognosis. However, the lived experience of these women was investigated in very few studies. Given this scenario, we conducted this qualitative study to describe and understand women’s subjective experience of being diagnosed with breast cancer during pregnancy. The study was conducted following the principles of Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. Participants were five women with breast cancer diagnosed during pregnancy, purposefully recruited at a public hospital during medical visits and interviewed at treatment initiation. The interview transcripts were analyzed using thematic analysis. The textual analysis led to the identification of three main themes related to: (1) the emotional storm experienced after cancer diagnosis, and the importance of receiving appropriate information and being focused on treatment decisions; (2) physical changes and comparisons with healthy women, associated with feelings of sadness and inadequacy; (3) being positive, feeling free to disclose all kinds of emotions, religion and spirituality as sources of strength. The paradoxical coexistence of pregnancy and cancer represents a stressful experience for women and their loved ones. Adopting a systemic perspective may be important to understand the effects of such a complex condition, also considering its impact on healthcare workers.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.620353/fullqualitative researchInterpretative Phenomenological Analysiscancer diagnosisbreast cancer during pregnancylived experience |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Federica Facchin Giovanna Scarfone Giancarlo Tamanza Silvia Ravani Federica Francini Fedro Alessandro Peccatori Eugenia Di Loreto Andrea Dell’Acqua Emanuela Saita |
spellingShingle |
Federica Facchin Giovanna Scarfone Giancarlo Tamanza Silvia Ravani Federica Francini Fedro Alessandro Peccatori Eugenia Di Loreto Andrea Dell’Acqua Emanuela Saita “Lights and Shadows”: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis of the Lived Experience of Being Diagnosed With Breast Cancer During Pregnancy Frontiers in Psychology qualitative research Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis cancer diagnosis breast cancer during pregnancy lived experience |
author_facet |
Federica Facchin Giovanna Scarfone Giancarlo Tamanza Silvia Ravani Federica Francini Fedro Alessandro Peccatori Eugenia Di Loreto Andrea Dell’Acqua Emanuela Saita |
author_sort |
Federica Facchin |
title |
“Lights and Shadows”: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis of the Lived Experience of Being Diagnosed With Breast Cancer During Pregnancy |
title_short |
“Lights and Shadows”: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis of the Lived Experience of Being Diagnosed With Breast Cancer During Pregnancy |
title_full |
“Lights and Shadows”: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis of the Lived Experience of Being Diagnosed With Breast Cancer During Pregnancy |
title_fullStr |
“Lights and Shadows”: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis of the Lived Experience of Being Diagnosed With Breast Cancer During Pregnancy |
title_full_unstemmed |
“Lights and Shadows”: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis of the Lived Experience of Being Diagnosed With Breast Cancer During Pregnancy |
title_sort |
“lights and shadows”: an interpretative phenomenological analysis of the lived experience of being diagnosed with breast cancer during pregnancy |
publisher |
Frontiers Media S.A. |
series |
Frontiers in Psychology |
issn |
1664-1078 |
publishDate |
2021-04-01 |
description |
Cancer diagnosed during pregnancy is a rare event. The most common type of malignancy diagnosed in pregnant women is breast cancer, whose incidence is expected to raise in the next future due to delayed childbirth, as well as to the increased occurrence of the disease at young age. Pregnant women diagnosed with breast cancer are exposed to multiple sources of stress, which may lead to poorer obstetric outcomes, such as preterm birth and low birth weight. In addition, pregnancy involves physiological changes in the breasts that may blur the signs of cancer, with delayed diagnosis and poor prognosis. However, the lived experience of these women was investigated in very few studies. Given this scenario, we conducted this qualitative study to describe and understand women’s subjective experience of being diagnosed with breast cancer during pregnancy. The study was conducted following the principles of Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. Participants were five women with breast cancer diagnosed during pregnancy, purposefully recruited at a public hospital during medical visits and interviewed at treatment initiation. The interview transcripts were analyzed using thematic analysis. The textual analysis led to the identification of three main themes related to: (1) the emotional storm experienced after cancer diagnosis, and the importance of receiving appropriate information and being focused on treatment decisions; (2) physical changes and comparisons with healthy women, associated with feelings of sadness and inadequacy; (3) being positive, feeling free to disclose all kinds of emotions, religion and spirituality as sources of strength. The paradoxical coexistence of pregnancy and cancer represents a stressful experience for women and their loved ones. Adopting a systemic perspective may be important to understand the effects of such a complex condition, also considering its impact on healthcare workers. |
topic |
qualitative research Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis cancer diagnosis breast cancer during pregnancy lived experience |
url |
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.620353/full |
work_keys_str_mv |
AT federicafacchin lightsandshadowsaninterpretativephenomenologicalanalysisofthelivedexperienceofbeingdiagnosedwithbreastcancerduringpregnancy AT giovannascarfone lightsandshadowsaninterpretativephenomenologicalanalysisofthelivedexperienceofbeingdiagnosedwithbreastcancerduringpregnancy AT giancarlotamanza lightsandshadowsaninterpretativephenomenologicalanalysisofthelivedexperienceofbeingdiagnosedwithbreastcancerduringpregnancy AT silviaravani lightsandshadowsaninterpretativephenomenologicalanalysisofthelivedexperienceofbeingdiagnosedwithbreastcancerduringpregnancy AT federicafrancini lightsandshadowsaninterpretativephenomenologicalanalysisofthelivedexperienceofbeingdiagnosedwithbreastcancerduringpregnancy AT fedroalessandropeccatori lightsandshadowsaninterpretativephenomenologicalanalysisofthelivedexperienceofbeingdiagnosedwithbreastcancerduringpregnancy AT eugeniadiloreto lightsandshadowsaninterpretativephenomenologicalanalysisofthelivedexperienceofbeingdiagnosedwithbreastcancerduringpregnancy AT andreadellacqua lightsandshadowsaninterpretativephenomenologicalanalysisofthelivedexperienceofbeingdiagnosedwithbreastcancerduringpregnancy AT emanuelasaita lightsandshadowsaninterpretativephenomenologicalanalysisofthelivedexperienceofbeingdiagnosedwithbreastcancerduringpregnancy |
_version_ |
1724176809018261504 |