title: The Lived Experience of Iranian Women Confronting Breast Cancer Diagnosis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The populations who survive from breast cancer are growing; nevertheless, they mostly encounter with many cancer related problems in their life, especially after early diagnosis and have to deal with these problems. Except for the disease entity, several socio-cultural factors may affect confronting this challenge among patients and the way they deal with. Present study was carried out to prepare clear understanding of Iranian women's lived experiences confronting breast cancer diagnosis and coping ways they applied to deal with it.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study was carried out by using qualitative phenomenological design. Data gathering was done through purposive sampling using semi-structured, in-depth interviews with 18 women who survived from breast cancer. The transcribed interviews were analyzed using Van Manen's thematic analysis approach.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Two main themes were emerged from the interviews including "emotional turbulence" and "threat control". The first, comprised three sub themes including uncertainty, perceived worries, and living with fears. The second included risk control, recurrence control, immediate seeking help, seeking support and resource to spirituality.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Emotional response was the immediate reflection to cancer diagnosis. However, during post-treatment period a variety of emotions were not uncommon findings, patients' perceptions have been changing along the time and problem-focused coping strategies have replaced. Although women may experience a degree of improvement and adjustment with illness, the emotional problems are not necessarily resolved, they may continue and gradually engender positive outcomes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Midwifery, Faculty of Nursing & Midwifery, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
authors.forename: Esmat
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mehrabi
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing, Department of Midwifery And Reproductive Health, Faculty of Nursing & Midwifery, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Sepideh
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hajian
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing, Department of Midwifery And Reproductive Health, Faculty of Nursing & Midwifery, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Masoomeh
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Simbar
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hoshyari
authors.affiliation: Department of Biostatistics, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Farid
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Zayeri
keywords: Breast cancer; Lived experience; Women