title: The lived experience of people with progressive advanced cancer.
abstract: Cancer is a long-term, life-limiting condition, and its end-of-life stage is complex. This study aimed to understand the lived experience of patients with progressive advanced oncological disease. Seven women in an acute hospital in Portugal were interviewed and the results analysed using a phenomenological approach to understand their lived experience. The analysis indicated that lived experience of these patients has six essential constituents: information about one's own health; perception of the disease; emotional reactions; aid strategies by nurses; imitations imposed by the disease; and changes in life perspective. The experience of advanced progressive cancer is very powerful and complex. The authors believe that this study has contributed to the understanding of this situation, particularly in terms of helping to improve palliative care practices.
authors.affiliation: Specialist Nurse, Gynecological ward, Coimbra Hospital and Universitary Centre.
authors.forename: Amélia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Esteves
authors.forename: José
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Roxo
authors.forename: Maria da Conceição
authors.initials: Mda C
authors.lastname: Saraiva
mesh_terms: D004644:Emotions; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000451:nursing / Q000473:pathology / Q000523:psychology*; D013315:Stress, Psychological
keywords: Cancer; Lived experience; Palliative care nursing; Phenomenology; Progressive advanced oncological disease