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Published on: November 19, 2019
Scanxiety in survivors of pancreatic cancer
Susan Ellis Winebrenner1,2, Lynne Hall1, Carla Hermann3
1School of Nursing, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, USA.
Purpose:
To understand the scanxiety experience in pancreatic cancer (PC) survivors following curative surgical resection.
Design:
A qualitative study with a hermeneutic phenomenological approach was used.
Methods:
Eighteen PC survivors participated. Data from in-depth, semi-structured interviews were analyzed and themes emerged from systematic line-by-line coding of the interview transcripts.
Findings:
Two key themes emerged: 'the recurring cycle of scanxiety' and 'hope for lifelong remission'. Participants experienced similar patterns of scanxiety that impacted everyday life. Hope was an essential stabilizing component of the cancer-scan experience, and enabled participants to conceptualize a cure, despite the high likelihood of recurrent, incurable disease. A conceptual framework was developed to provide further insight.
Implications:
Everyday life is significantly affected during times of PC surveillance scans. This study enhances our understanding of the cancer-scan experience and provides a framework to guide care.
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