Abstract
Purpose
This study aimed to analyze the experience of quality of life for urological cancer survivors.
Methods
This is a qualitative narrative research based on the experience-centered approach. Twenty-one semi-structured face-to-face interviews were conducted with 12 survivors of urological cancer at different survival seasons. Participants were recruited from the convenience sampling. The thematic analysis approach was used to analyze the data. The findings are presented as narrative syntheses. The standards for reporting qualitative research (SPQR) were used in this study.
Results
Two narrative syntheses were constructed: (1) Rupture in the different dimensions of QoL; and (2) QoL: Searching for a harmonious survival, each presenting their respective sub-themes. After the rupture in the different dimensions of QoL, the survivors resigned themselves and searched for a harmonious survival despite the physical, social, and psychological changes imposed by cancer treatments. Survivors achieved a new meaning of QoL with the support of family, hope, and spirituality.
Conclusions
The results highlight the changes experienced by survivors in different dimensions of QoL and the search for harmonious survival. Based on QoL experience reported in this study, health professionals can plan survival care and interventions that mitigate the consequences of treatment on QoL.
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Data availability
The datasets analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.
Code availability
Not applicable.
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Funding
This study was supported by the Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior—Brasil (CAPES), finance code 001.
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RRN and MMFZ have made substantial contributions to the conception and design of the study. RRN has performed the data collection. RRN, LCN, and MMFZ have been involved in data analysis and interpretation, drafting of the manuscript, and relevant critical review of the intellectual content. All authors have given final approval of the version to be published.
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The study was approved by the Research Ethics Committee of the University to which the research team is attached, and the hospital where the data was collected (Protocol Number: 217/2016).
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Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.
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Neris, R.R., Nascimento, L.C. & Zago, M.M.F. Searching for a harmonious survival: the experience of quality of life of urological cancer survivors. Support Care Cancer 30, 3485–3494 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-021-06786-6
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-021-06786-6