title: Women Treated for Breast Cancer Experiences of Chemotherapy-Induced Pain: Memories, Any Present Pain, and Future Reflections.
abstract: Breast cancer survivors make up a growing population facing treatment that poses long-standing adverse effects including chemotherapy-related body function changes and/or pain. There is limited knowledge of patients' lived experiences of chemotherapy-induced pain (CHIP).
  
  
  
  The aim of this study was to explore CHIP and any long-standing pain experiences in the lifeworld of breast cancer survivors.
  
  
  
  Fifteen women participated in a follow-up interview a year after having experienced CHIP. They were interviewed from a lifeworld perspective; the interviews were analyzed through guided phenomenology reflection.
  
  
  
  A past perspective: CHIP is often described in metaphors, leads to changes in a patient's lifeworld, and impacts lived time. The women become entirely dependent on others but at the same time feel isolated and alone. Existential pain was experienced as increased vulnerability. Present perspective: Pain engages same parts of the body, but at a lower intensity than during CHIP. The pain creates time awareness. Expected normality in relationships/daily life has not yet been achieved, and a painful existence emerges in-between health and illness. Future perspective: There are expectations of pain continuing, and there is insecurity regarding whom to turn to in such cases. A painful awareness emerges about one's own and others' fragile existence.
  
  
  
  Experiencing CHIP can impact the lifeworld of women with a history of breast cancer. After CHIP, there are continued experiences of pain that trigger insecurity about whether one is healthy.
  
  
  
  Cancer survivors would likely benefit from communication and information about and evaluation of CHIP.
authors.affiliation: Author Affiliations: Department of Public Health and Caring Sciences, Uppsala University (Ms Hellerstedt-Börjesson, Drs Nordin, Holmström, and Arving); School of Health, Care and Social Welfare, Mälardalen University (Ms Holmström); and Department of Radiology, Oncology and Radiation Sciences, Uppsala University (Dr Fjällskog), Sweden.
authors.forename: Susanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hellerstedt-Börjesson
authors.forename: Karin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nordin
authors.forename: Marie-Louise
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Fjällskog
authors.forename: Inger K
authors.initials: IK
authors.lastname: Holmström
authors.forename: Cecilia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Arving
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010146:Pain / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000523:psychology*; D036301:Qualitative Research; D017741:Survivors / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents