Exploring the Care Needs of Women With Breast Cancer and the Time From Diagnosis to Treatment: A Qualitative Study

Background: Breast cancer is the most common type of cancer in Iranian women. Early needs assessment of patients at the time of diagnosis and across the phases of cancer treatment is essential to provide timely and appropriate supportive care. Therefore, the present study aims to explore the care needs of breast cancer patients from the time of diagnosis to treatment completion.

Methods: This qualitative research was conducted as a conventional content analysis, based on the Graneheim and Lundman approach. Eighteen participants, consisting of breast cancer patients, family members, oncology nurses, and oncologists, were selected using a purposive sampling method with maximum diversity. Data were collected using in-depth semistructured interviews and entered into the MAXQDA 2020 software for analysis. Lincoln and Guba’s criteria for credibility, transferability, dependability, and confirmability were used to validate the research findings.

Results: The needs of women with breast cancer in the diagnosis and treatment phases were categorized into two and seven categories and five and 18 subcategories, respectively. The themes that emerged relating to women’s needs at the time of diagnosis included psychoemotional and informational needs. The needs of women in the treatment phase were categorized into the following themes: informational, practical, psychoemotional, physical, spiritual, communication, and sexual needs.

Conclusions: This study provides valuable insights into optimal and patient-oriented supportive care, accounting for the numerous needs of patients with breast cancer. Healthcare providers should provide supportive care according to patients’ needs and preferences, which will lead to the correct use of resources and cost reduction as well as improving the quality of life of cancer patients. Supportive care needs are culture-dependent. Thus, cultural issues must be considered when developing an effective supportive care program.