Symptom Concerns of Women with Ovarian Cancer

Abstract

This study describes the symptom experience of women with ovarian cancer. A body of data consisting of 21,806 letters, cards, and e-mails written by ovarian cancer patients was donated to the City of Hope investigators by the founder and editor of Conversations!: The International Newsletter for Those Fighting Ovarian Cancer. Using ethnographic qualitative research procedures, meaningful comments in the data were bracketed and coded within physical, psychological, social, and spiritual domains according to the City of Hope QOL-Ovarian Cancer instrument. Six hundred seventy-seven (677) comments were identified as pertaining to pre- and post-diagnostic symptomatology. Findings, based on major themes derived from the analysis, included distress over delayed diagnoses given the presence of pre-diagnosis symptoms. Frequently described post-diagnosis symptoms included pain, fatigue, gastrointestinal effects, and menstrual and fertility changes. Women demonstrated resourcefulness and optimism by sharing innovative ideas for coping with varied symptoms. Significant attention was dedicated to complementary and alternative therapies, both for symptom management and with curative intent. Findings demonstrate the need to improve diagnostic tests, symptom management, and patient education.

Identifying supportive care needs of women with ovarian cancer

“…A patient-focused model of care in which patients and health care providers work as a team might help alleviate some of the current concerns about control. Lack of energy (or fatigue) has been reported by other researchers (e.g., Donovan & Ward, 2005;Ferrell, Smith, Cullinane, et al, 2003). Yet, there is enough accumulated evidence about fatigue and its management that health care providers should be offering patients suggestions to help them manage this symptom, especially …”

“…In an ethnographic study based on material obtained from seven years of correspondence among survivors of ovarian cancer and a support newsletter, Ferrell, Smith, Cullinane, and Melancon (2003) reported that the debilitating side effects of treatment were often worse than the disease itself. The most common symptom was pain, including peripheral neuropathy.…”

“…While some qualitative research has been completed (e.g., Ekman et al, 2004;Ferrell, Smith, Cullinane, et al, 2003;Power et al, 2008), there is very little quantitative, especially around whether or not people want help with their needs. This initial study is useful for pinpointing areas of concern and identifying potential areas for future research and development of interventions.…”

A longitudinal investigation of posttraumatic stress disorder in patients with ovarian cancer

“…Anxiety and depression have been reported [15][16][17][18][19][20]. Qualitative studies and quality of life studies have shown that significant distress, impairments in physical, vocational, social, familial and sexual functioning may also occur [6,15,17,[21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29]. A recent prospective longitudinal study measured psychological disorders, such as anxiety and depression, perceived social support, neuroticism and coping strategies to control unwanted thoughts in ovarian cancer patients.…”

Experiences of Gynecological Cancer through Perspectives of Existential Philosophy: A Qualitative Meta-Synthesis Study

“…Onun hastası olmak gerçek bir onur". [45] Kadınlar, sağlık bakım vericilerinin becerili, hızlı ve uzmanca bakımlarının yanı sıra kanser tanısına baştan sona eşlik eden fiziksel ve duygusal "acı çekme" süreçlerinde yanlarında olmalarına gereksinim duymaktadırlar: "Bazen kötü hissedersin, sonra hemşireler yanına gelir ve seninle konuşur. Ve ne olduğunu anlayana kadar yanından ayrılmazlar".…”