Exploring the Experiences of Iranian Women with Breast Cancer: A Qualitative Study

The experience of patients with breast cancer may vary in different cultures. The aim of this qualitative study was to explore the experiences of women with breast cancer in Iran. Fifty one participants were recruited from a university-affiliated breast clinic in Tehran. In-depth interviews each lasting approximately one hour per participant were scheduled and conducted in a private room. The interviews intended to motivate the participants to reflect on their life experiences since the cancer diagnosis. The interviews were tape-recorded and were transcribed to elucidate the major themes encountered in the interviews. The mean age of patients was 48.8 years (SD = 10.5), 44 were married, one was single, and six were widowed or divorced. Forty-eight participants underwent radical mastectomy and 13 patients received breast-conserving surgery. Thirty-five (69%) patients received chemotherapy. Overall eight major themes emerged from the analysis. These were: importance of God and spiritual beliefs, importance of family support especially husbands and children during the diagnosis and treatment, difficult times during receiving mammography results, experiencing an ambiguous condition while losing their breasts, fear of recurrence, concerns about children, and chemotherapy as the worst experience during the course of treatment. The study results suggest that chemotherapy is the worst experience for women with breast cancer. This needs to be considered by oncologists in planning medical care for cancer patients. In addition it seems that patients’ spiritual beliefs might be considered as an extra resource to help patients to overcome their problems.