title: Goals set in the land of the living/dying: a longitudinal study of patients living with advanced cancer.
abstract: A longitudinal qualitative research study was undertaken to provide an understanding of a prolonged experience of advanced cancer, as seen through the eyes of dying individuals. Using a variant of the grounded theory method, the authors theoretically sampled, from outpatient clinics in a large comprehensive cancer treatment center, 27 patients with either advanced lung or gastrointestinal cancer who had an expected survival of up to 2 years. The authors conducted a total of 54 interviews with these patients to learn of their experience of advanced cancer. The authors represent their experience with the core category: striving to grow in the land of the living/dying, symbolizing their sense of finding themselves in a borderland between life and death where their efforts focused on 3 common goals. controlling dying, valuing life in the present, and creating a living legacy. They provide a longitudinal account of how these goals were addressed throughout the illness trajectory and discuss the theoretical and clinical implications of this understanding for the experience of dying from advanced cancer.
authors.affiliation: Psychosocial Oncology and Palliative Care Program, Princess Margaret Hospital, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. rinat.nissim@uhn.ca
authors.forename: Rinat
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Nissim
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Faculty of Health, York University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Rennie
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Faculty of Health, York University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Stephen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fleming
authors.affiliation: Psychosocial Oncology and Palliative Care Program, Princess Margaret Hospital, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hales
authors.affiliation: School of Kinesiology and Health Science, Faculty of Health, York University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Lucia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gagliese
authors.affiliation: Psychosocial Oncology and Palliative Care Program, Princess Margaret Hospital, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Gary
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rodin
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000533:Altruism; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001293:Attitude to Death; D001294:Attitude to Health; D005260:Female; D005770:Gastrointestinal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology*; D006040:Goals; D006801:Humans; D007406:Interview, Psychological; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013405:Suicide / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents