title: Living with side effects from cancer treatment--a challenge to target information.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Patients with cancer experience side effects related to their antineoplastic treatment. Demands for efficiency limit the time patients spend with health professionals. This requires that professionals are able to offer adequate support to patients in coping with side effects of treatment in everyday life. However, it appears that the level of information about and support in living with side effects may be insufficient.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To explore patients' experiences of how side effects from chemotherapy and radiotherapy impact everyday life as well as the information needs in coping with these side effects.
  
  
  METHODS
  Nine patients' experiences were analysed and interpreted using a phenomenological-hermeneutical approach. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The patients are deeply impacted by side effects in their everyday life. They struggle to take power but experience loss of control. They feel inexperienced without knowledge in an 'ongoing system', and because of lack of continuity, they do not come up with their real needs. To avoid pitfalls in the information, the patients need individualized support from the professionals.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  If the patients have to be supported during everyday life with side effects from cancer treatment in an individualized way, the professional must be aware that the patients risk adapting to the busy healthcare system. To empower the patient, the professional must be able to sense the patients' appeal for help and enter into caring relationships.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  To ensure targeted information, the relationship between nurse and patient must build on nursing values including the patients' illness - perspective. However, the professionals must take a critical look at how they provide information and how they act to empower the patients.
authors.affiliation: The Department of Oncology, The Hospital in Aalborg, Aalborg, Denmark. birgith.pedersen@rn.dk
authors.forename: Birgith
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Pedersen
authors.forename: Dorte P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Koktved
authors.forename: Lene L
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Nielsen
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000628:therapy*; D011878:Radiotherapy / Q000009:adverse effects*
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents