“¿Qué viene después?”: Latina women diagnosed with breast cancer twice.

Abstract

There is a growing body of literature on Latina breast cancer survivors. However, little is known about women diagnosed twice. In this qualitative exploratory study, we examined in depth the experiences of five Latina breast cancer survivors diagnosed twice recruited at a community-based organization. Using grounded theory analysis, we identified three themes representing major aspects of their experiences: (a) Experiencing the First and Second Diagnoses, (b) Coping with Breast Cancer, and (c) Living With Uncertainty. Although participants transferred coping skills from their first diagnosis to the second, their experience with the second diagnosis was more challenging. Additionally, living with the uncertainty of a third diagnosis represented a chronic challenge. Overall, participants reported many unmet support needs. Findings raise several implications for research as well as clinical practice and advocacy. In future studies, researchers should consider examining separately the experiences of women diagnosed once from those diagnosed twice. Moreover, research is needed to understand whether the current practice of referring women diagnosed twice to a support group with a majority of women diagnosed once adequately addresses their unique needs. Advocacy is needed to ameliorate financial and language barriers as well as to enhance access to health care for this growing population. Public Significance StatementThe present study suggests that Latina women may find a second breast cancer diagnosis more challenging than the first. A particular psychological burden for these survivors was their chronic fear of a third cancer. In coping with the second diagnosis, they reported receiving less support than they had for the first diagnosis, leaving them with many unmet support needs.