title: Informational and emotional needs of long-term survivors of breast cancer.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Community and Maternal-Child Nursing, School of Nursing, University of Navarre, Pamplona, Spain. cgarciavivar@yahoo.es
authors.forename: Cristina García
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Vivar
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: McQueen
mesh_terms: 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*