Living with breast cancer-related lymphedema: a synthesis of qualitative research

To describe the experience of female patients living with breast cancer-related lymphedema (BCRL) to gain a comprehensive understanding of this experience. The review is designed as a qualitative meta-synthesis. Electronic searches were conducted in MEDLINE®, CINAHL®, EMBASE, PsycINFO, and Social Sc...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:	Oncology nursing forum Vol. 41; no. 4; pp. E220 - E237
Main Authors:	Burckhardt, Marion, Belzner, Marion, Berg, Almuth, Fleischer, Steffen
Format:	Journal Article
Language:	English
Published:	United States Oncology Nursing Society 01-07-2014
Subjects:	Breast cancer Breast Neoplasms - nursing Breast Neoplasms - psychology Breast Neoplasms - surgery Cancer patients Complications and side effects Female Health aspects Humans Lymphedema Lymphedema - etiology Lymphedema - nursing Lymphedema - psychology Mastectomy - adverse effects Mastectomy - nursing Nursing Oncology Nursing - methods Qualitative Research Quality of life Quality of Life - psychology Social aspects breast cancer quality of life systematic review qualitative lymphedema nursing research
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Summary:	To describe the experience of female patients living with breast cancer-related lymphedema (BCRL) to gain a comprehensive understanding of this experience. The review is designed as a qualitative meta-synthesis. Electronic searches were conducted in MEDLINE®, CINAHL®, EMBASE, PsycINFO, and Social Sciences Citation Index. Articles were included where researchers used qualitative research methods and when a comprehensive description of methods and the study's findings were provided. From 2,185 references, 13 articles were included. A total of 94 author and participant aggregations were extracted, qualitatively assessed, and assigned to one of 14 categories. Four themes relating to the experience of living with BCRL were identified: experience of everyday life, energy sapping, personal empowerment, and contribution of others. Requirements of living with BCRL may only be influenced to a limited extent by the women themselves. They struggle with their situation, appearance, and the concomitant uncertainties. They feel strengthened where they succeed in developing a helpful view of their situation and where support structures are available to them. Professionals can employ this meta-synthesis by contextualizing it as part of a process of critical reflection on their own endeavors to meet the requirements of women living with BCRL.
Bibliography:	ObjectType-Article-2 SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1 ObjectType-Feature-1 ObjectType-Review-4 content type line 23 ObjectType-Undefined-3 ObjectType-Evidence Based Healthcare-4 ObjectType-Literature Review-3
ISSN:	0190-535X 1538-0688
DOI:	10.1188/14.ONF.E220-E237