"After radiation sessions, I sometimes feel weak and dizzy'': Experiences of Ghanaian women with breast cancer post radiotherapy.

introductionBreast cancer remains one of the main causes of morbidity and mortality among females worldwide. Despite the advancement of several treatment options such as surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy to tackle this disease, several women still refuse these allopathic treatment options due to adverse effects posed by these treatment modalities which usually remain poorly identified and managed particularly in low-resourced-constrained settings like those in Sub-Saharan Africa.

aimWe explored the experiences of Ghanaian women with breast cancer being nursed after undergoing radiotherapy.

methodThis was an exploratory descriptive qualitative study involving seventeen (17) women diagnosed with breast cancer who had undergone radiotherapy at a Teaching Hospital in Kumasi, Ghana. The participants were engaged in in-depth interviews using a piloted interview guide. The interviews were audio-taped, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using thematic analysis with the help of Nvivo 10.

resultsTwo main themes emerged from this study; physical experiences and social experiences. The sub-themes under the physical experiences included pain, breast and skin changes, physical exhaustion, and gastrointestinal symptoms. Regarding social experiences, we identified three sub-themes, mainly, family and partner support, support from employers, churches, and friends, and finally sexual life challenges. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION: Several physical experiences post radiation therapy deter women diagnosed with breast cancer from consenting to undergo radiotherapy or recommending radiotherapy as a treatment option for breast cancer in Ghana. However, the social networks of women with breast cancer undergoing radiation therapy could serve as useful motivators in promoting radiation therapy. We recommend that nurses/midwives and other health professionals handle the negative physical symptoms experienced with tact and professionalism through supportive care services post radiation therapy to improve acceptance of this treatment option. Similarly, the Ghana Health Service should ensure that nurses at breast cancer care units utilize the social networks of women diagnosed with breast cancer undergoing radiation therapy as social capital to reduce the psychological stress associated with radiation therapy.