title: "The ambiguous transforming body"--A phenomenological study of the meaning of weight changes among women treated for breast cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Changes in weight and body-shape are well known side effects among women treated for breast cancer. Caring for these women requires knowledge of how they perceive these bodily changes. However, knowledge on weight changes and how such changes influence the women's perception of their bodies and selves is limited.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To describe the essential meaning of the phenomenon of changes in weight and body-shape in women treated for breast cancer and how these changes influence the women's perception of body and self.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study design is guided by existential phenomenology as a unifying framework and descriptive life-world research as the methodological approach. Data consisted of 12 individual interviews.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was conducted at a department of oncology at a Danish university hospital in 2014.
  
  
  METHODS
  Women with changes in weight and body-shape were invited to participate in the study for purposeful selection. Inclusion procedure took place when the women attended the outpatient clinic at one year follow-up.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The essential meaning "The ambiguous transforming body--between a luxury problem and fear of recurrence"' was formed by three interrelated constituents: (1) the body--a demanding stranger; (2) fighting to be the master in one's own life, and (3) accepting the bodily changes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Weight changes may induce a feeling of being in transition between a former well-known body and a current strange demanding body. Interpreting the bodily changes in the light of being alive, the weight changes appeared as a luxury problem. However, knowing that excess fat can cause breast cancer, the women are caught in a dilemma because the medication is supposed to contribute to long-term survival and at the same time is a possible contributor to weight gain. Being alive but unable to avoid bodily changes, the changes influenced the women's self-perception as autonomous agents and provoked self-blame, shame and feelings of ungratefulness. Thus, relieving the burden of changes in weight and body shape is not only a question of appearance, but encompasses the desire for life and anxiety of death.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, Aalborg University Hospital, Denmark. Electronic address: Birgith.pedersen@rn.dk.
authors.forename: Birgith
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Pedersen
authors.affiliation: Clinical Nursing Research Unit, Aalborg University Hospital, Denmark.
authors.forename: Mette
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Groenkjaer
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, Aalborg University Hospital, Denmark.
authors.forename: Ursula
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Falkmer
authors.affiliation: Clinical Nursing Research Unit, Aalborg University Hospital, Denmark; Clinic for Internal Medicine, Aalborg University Hospital, Denmark.
authors.forename: Edith
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mark
authors.affiliation: Institute of Public Health, Section for Nursing, Aarhus University, Denmark; Faculty of Health Sciences, Aalborg University, Denmark; University College Diakonova, Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: Charlotte
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Delmar
mesh_terms: D001835:Body Weight; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D003718:Denmark; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans
keywords: Body weight changes; Breast neoplasm; Descriptive life-world research; Embodiment; Phenomenology