Dyadic relationship experience in Chinese patients with advanced cancer and their spouses: A longitudinal qualitative...

To explore the process of dyadic relationship experiences among patients with advanced cancer and their spouses during anti-cancer treatment in China.

A longitudinal, qualitative study using semi-structured interviews with cancer patients and their spouses was conducted within the first six months following cancer diagnosis. A total of 18 cancer patient-spouse dyads were recruited, with 16 dyads completing all follow-ups between March and December 2024. All interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed thematically.

The study collected 96 individual interviews. The thematic framework was developed based on patient-spouse dyads, generating three key themes: relationship crisis at diagnosis, relationship reconfiguration during hospitalization, and relationship adaptation in home care. These were further elaborated through eight subthemes: mutual denial at the moment of diagnosis, communication avoidance by fear of burden, and collaborative struggles in dyadic coping (relationship crisis); collapse of traditional family roles and shared vulnerability as dyadic coping (relationship reconfiguration); and intra-dyadic reciprocal support in daily care, joint help-seeking as a unified front, and post-trauma mutual growth within familism (relationship adaptation).

The couple's relational experience evolves dynamically from diagnosis through hospitalisation to home care. These findings provide implications for health care providers to develop effective health guidance that supports a harmonious family atmosphere during transitional care. Culturally tailored, dyad-centred interventions addressing these phase-specific challenges may strengthen mutual support and improve the well-being of both patients and spouses.