title: Living with breast cancer-related lymphedema: a synthesis of qualitative research.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe the experience of female patients living with breast cancer-related lymphedema (BCRL) to gain a comprehensive understanding of this experience. The review is designed as a qualitative meta-synthesis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Electronic searches were conducted in MEDLINE®, CINAHL®, EMBASE, PsycINFO, and Social Sciences Citation Index. Articles were included where researchers used qualitative research methods and when a comprehensive description of methods and the study's findings were provided.
  
  
  RESULTS
  From 2,185 references, 13 articles were included. A total of 94 author and participant aggregations were extracted, qualitatively assessed, and assigned to one of 14 categories. Four themes relating to the experience of living with BCRL were identified: experience of everyday life, energy sapping, personal empowerment, and contribution of others.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Requirements of living with BCRL may only be influenced to a limited extent by the women themselves. They struggle with their situation, appearance, and the concomitant uncertainties. They feel strengthened where they succeed in developing a helpful view of their situation and where support structures are available to them.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Professionals can employ this meta-synthesis by contextualizing it as part of a process of critical reflection on their own endeavors to meet the requirements of women living with BCRL.
authors: German Society for Wound Healing and Wound Care (DGfW), Giessen, Germany.
authors: Marion
authors: M
authors: Burckhardt
authors: Martha-Maria College of Nursing, Nuremberg, Germany.
authors: Marion
authors: M
authors: Belzner
authors: Institute of Health and Nursing Science, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle, Germany.
authors: Almuth
authors: A
authors: Berg
authors: Institute of Health and Nursing Science, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle, Germany.
authors: Steffen
authors: S
authors: Fleischer
mesh_terms: D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000451:nursing / Q000523:psychology / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008209:Lymphedema / Q000209:etiology / Q000451:nursing / Q000523:psychology; D008408:Mastectomy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000451:nursing*; D009859:Oncology Nursing / Q000379:methods*; D036301:Qualitative Research; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*
keywords: breast cancer; lymphedema; nursing research; qualitative; quality of life; systematic review