Informational and emotional needs of long-term survivors of breast cancer.
OBJECTIVE
This paper presents a review of the informational and emotional needs of long-term breast cancer survivors, with particular attention to the different needs of women according to their age and to critiquing healthcare provision to these women.


BACKGROUND
Women with a history of breast cancer are the largest group of cancer survivors. While they may be disease-free, their cancer diagnosis has ongoing physical and psychosocial implications for their lives and well-being.


METHODS
A literature search for the period 1985 to March 2004 was undertaken using the CINAHL, MEDLINE, CANCERLIT, PubMed and CUIDEN databases and the keywords long-term, breast cancer survivors, needs and social support. Hand-searching was also done, and reference lists of papers were examined for relevant studies.


RESULTS
Survivors of breast cancer continue to experience informational and emotional needs during their long-term survivorship, and variation in the amount and type of support required is age-related. However, women's needs are often unmet by oncology teams and they have to find other sources of support, such as self-help groups. Thus, ongoing care is required after completion of medical treatment, and nurses have a significant contribution to make here.


CONCLUSIONS
Nursing research on long-term breast cancer survivorship is limited. Future studies need to investigate the unmet needs of long-term survivors of breast cancer and, specifically, explore the kind of support women would like to receive from oncology teams, and particularly from breast cancer nurses.
Vivar
Cristina García
CG
Department of Community and Maternal-Child Nursing, School of Nursing, University of Navarre, Pamplona, Spain. cgarciavivar@yahoo.es
McQueen
Anne
A
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000451:nursing / Q000523:psychology*; D004644:Emotions; D005260:Female; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006801:Humans; D008134:Long-Term Care; D008875:Middle Aged; D009859:Oncology Nursing / Q000379:methods; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D012657:Self-Help Groups; D017741:Survivors / Q000523:psychology*