Long-term survivors of breast cancer. A qualitative descriptive study

The purpose of this study was to explore the daily lived experience of women who have survived breast cancer beyond 5 years without recurrence. A qualitative descriptive approach was used to collect and analyze the stories of 25 women, 40-78 years of age, with 5-26 years of survival time. Informants participated in three interviews that were transcribed and analyzed. Informants described "going through" a survival process that involved movement through several phases. The phases included interpreting the diagnosis, confronting mortality, reprioritizing, coming to terms, moving on, and flashing back. Phases were interpreted within the context of informants' backgrounds, sources of meaning, and explanatory models of understanding illness. Many informants described the emergence of a more authentic self as a result of the cancer experience. Many informants emerged from the cancer experience with a clearer sense of self, gratitude for life, and strength and confidence in their ability to manage life crises. Findings suggest that care might best be provided by understanding the context of each person's life.