I discovered that I have breast cancer: meanings in the collective subject discourse

Abstract

Objective: To know the contemporary meaning of breast cancer diagnosis. Method: Narrative research, carried out with 11 women diagnosed with breast cancer, submitted to chemotherapy, in remission of the disease. The narratives were collected, between August and December 2018, by recorded interviews, transcribed, and analyzed using the Collective Subject Discourse technique. Results: From the analysis techniques four central ideas emerged, in this study, three central ideas are presented: Discovering breast cancer; Current feelings; and Advice for women with breast cancer. Conclusion: The discourse reveals the fear and suffering of women, especially in the stage of cancer diagnosis and remission, despite the advances in the control of the disease in current times. Furthermore, it reveals the changes in living after diagnosis. Knowing the meaning of the disease allows for better nursing planning.