title: Breast cancer treatment and work disability: patient perspectives.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Most female breast cancer patients are forced to interrupt their professional activities during treatment. Qualitative research was carried out to assess women's experiences of being work disabled because of breast cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  In-depth interviews were analyzed to understand patient's experiences and to gain more insight in their perspectives on living with breast cancer.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We identified a 'three-experience model': (1) disruption, with the feeling of irreparable loss, despair and no hope for the future; (2) episode, an unpleasant and inconvenient period, after which life continues as before; and/or (3) meaningful period, during which new life priorities' are set.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The different experiences will require different types of support, especially concerning communication around disability and returning to work. Our findings highlight the need of an individual approach of the management of work disability for breast cancer patients.
authors: Department of Occupational, Environmental and Insurance Medicine, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Kapucijnenvoer 35/5, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium. corine.tiedtke@med.kuleuven.be
authors: Corine
authors: C
authors: Tiedtke
authors: Bernadette
authors: B
authors: Dierckx de Casterlé
authors: Angelique
authors: A
authors: de Rijk
authors: Marie-Rose
authors: MR
authors: Christiaens
authors: Peter
authors: P
authors: Donceel
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology*; D006233:Persons with Disabilities; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D008960:Models, Psychological; D014937:Work