title: Women's perceptions and experience of adjuvant tamoxifen therapy account for their adherence: breast cancer patients' point of view.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study on primary breast cancer patients undergoing adjuvant tamoxifen treatment was to determine how their perceptions of the treatment and their experience of side-effects contributed to their adherence to the treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  A consecutive series of primary breast cancer patients eligible for tamoxifen therapy were studied qualitatively by conducting semi-structured in-depth interviews at two French cancer centres.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The women aged 35-65 (N=34) were struggling with several issues involving their understanding and experience of the treatment, which have not been documented so far. These issues included confusion about the 'hormonal' nature and activity of tamoxifen and the etiology of the changes in their menopausal status, as well as the symbolic associations formed by patients about the paradox of taking a treatment that has aging effects but saves lives.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study shows the great physical burden often associated with tamoxifen treatment and brings to light women's own complex representations of the treatment and their interpretation of the side-effects. Better communication between health-care providers and patients should ultimately help to prevent refusal or discontinuation of tamoxifen treatment.
authors.affiliation: INSERM, U912 (SE4S), Marseille, France.
authors.forename: Isabelle
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Pellegrini
authors.forename: Aline
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sarradon-Eck
authors.forename: Patrick Ben
authors.initials: PB
authors.lastname: Soussan
authors.forename: Anne-Claude
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Lacour
authors.forename: Rémy
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Largillier
authors.forename: Agnès
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tallet
authors.forename: Carole
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tarpin
authors.forename: Claire
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Julian-Reynier
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D001294:Attitude to Health; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D003142:Communication; D017281:Cost of Illness; D004965:Estrogen Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007406:Interview, Psychological; D008875:Middle Aged; D010349:Patient Compliance / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011369:Professional-Patient Relations; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013629:Tamoxifen / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D004965:Estrogen Antagonists; D013629:Tamoxifen