| 1. |
- Hellerstedt Börjesson, Susanne, 1956-
(author)
-
Taxane-induced pain : Experiences of women with breast cancer and nurses providing their care
- 2018
-
Doctoral thesis (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Breast cancer patients receiving taxane chemotherapy run a substantial risk of develop taxane-induced pain, but little is known about women’s experiences of such pain. The aim of this thesis was to explore women’s acute and longstanding experiences of taxane-induced pain, to evaluate the pain intensity and distribution using different assessment methods, and to study nurses´ perceptions of taxane-induced pain in people with breast cancer.The women experienced pain during chemotherapy with 37– 48% incidence of acute taxane-induced pain. The subjective burden of taxane-induced pain described by the women covered narratives from manageable pain to very difficult and disabling pain with a major impact on their lifeworld (Study I).Longstanding pain in the lifeworld of women with previous breast cancer, was explored through a retrospective reflection after 12 months. The descriptions of pain revealed a time perspective; as pain perceived at that specific time, currently ongoing pain, and pain expectations for the future. This resulted in the women sensing themselves of being somewhere between health and illness gazing into an uncertain future (Study II).A quantitative longitudinal assessment of taxane-induced pain using; the body image, the VAS, and the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire (EORTC-QLQ-C30) showed the women’s estimated pain; its intensity, distribution and occurrence - as it appeared during the actual taxane treatment and up to a year afterward. The baseline measurement on the VAS revealed low initial pain, VAS <10, which changed at treatment Cycle 1. The body image revealed intense and widespread pain, and pain after 12 months, as did the EORTC QLQ -C30 (Study III).The nurses’ estimations of taxane-induced pain varied to large extent in both prevalence and intensity. Large parts of the body were expected to be involved in the pain. Nurses lacked local and/or national guidelines reflecting a low level of generalized use of prophylaxis against taxane pain (Study IV).In conclusion, taxane-induced pain is a common debilitating symptom during taxane chemotherapy for women with breast cancer. Pain impacts women´s life during as well as long time after the completion of taxane treatment. Taxane pain can be accurately or successfully estimated using various pain assessment tools. Furthermore, guidelines for dealing with taxane-induced pain are needed.
|
|
| 2. |
- Hellerstedt-Börjesson, Susanne, et al.
(author)
-
Women Treated for Breast Cancer Experiences of Chemotherapy-Induced Pain Memories, Any Present Pain, and Future Reflections
- 2016
-
In: Cancer Nursing. - 0162-220X .- 1538-9804. ; 39:6, s. 464-472
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background: Breast cancer survivors make up a growing population facing treatment that poses long-standing adverse effects including chemotherapy-related body function changes and/or pain. There is limited knowledge of patients' lived experiences of chemotherapy-induced pain (CHIP). Objective: The aim of this study was to explore CHIP and any long-standing pain experiences in the lifeworld of breast cancer survivors. Methods: Fifteen women participated in a follow-up interview a year after having experienced CHIP. They were interviewed from a lifeworld perspective; the interviews were analyzed through guided phenomenology reflection. Results: A past perspective: CHIP is often described in metaphors, leads to changes in a patient's lifeworld, and impacts lived time. The women become entirely dependent on others but at the same time feel isolated and alone. Existential pain was experienced as increased vulnerability. Present perspective: Pain engages same parts of the body, but at a lower intensity than during CHIP. The pain creates time awareness. Expected normality in relationships/daily life has not yet been achieved, and a painful existence emerges in-between health and illness. Future perspective: There are expectations of pain continuing, and there is insecurity regarding whom to turn to in such cases. A painful awareness emerges about one's own and others' fragile existence. Conclusions: Experiencing CHIP can impact the lifeworld of women with a history of breast cancer. After CHIP, there are continued experiences of pain that trigger insecurity about whether one is healthy. Implications for Practice: Cancer survivors would likely benefit from communication and information about and evaluation of CHIP.
|
|
| 3. |
- Hellerstedt-Börjesson, Susanne, et al.
(author)
-
Women With Breast Cancer : Experience of Chemotherapy-Induced Pain: Triangulation of Methods
- 2015
-
In: Cancer Nursing. - 0162-220X .- 1538-9804. ; 38:1, s. 31-39
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- BACKGROUNDChemotherapy treatment for cancer diseases can cause body pain during adjuvant therapy.OBJECTIVEThe aim was to describe the perceived impact of adjuvant chemotherapy-induced pain (CHIP) on the daily lives of women with newly diagnosed breast cancer, using triangulation.METHODFifty-seven women scheduled for chemotherapy in doses of 75 mg/m2 or greater of epirubicin and/or docetaxel participated. Twenty-two of these women registered pain with values of 4 or more on the visual analog scale on day 10 following chemotherapy. Of these 22, 16 participated in an interview and colored a printed body image. A qualitative thematic stepwise analysis of the interviews was performed.RESULTSChemotherapy-induced pain had a profound impact on daily life. Ten women reported the worst possible pain, with visual analog scale scores of 8 to 10. Three different categories crystallized: perception (A) of manageable pain, which allowed the women to maintain their daily lives; perception (B) of pain beyond imagination, whereby the impact of pain had become more complex; and perception (C) of crippling pain, challenging the women's confidence in survival.CONCLUSIONSThe findings highlight the inability to capture CHIP with 1 method only; it is thus necessary to use complimentary methods to capture pain. We found that pain had a considerable impact on daily life, with surprisingly high scores of perceived pain, findings that to date have been poorly investigated qualitatively.IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICENurses need to (1) better identify, understand and treat CHIP, using instruments and protocols; and (2) provide improved communication about pain and pain management.
|
|
