American Research Journal of Nursing

 Breast cancer is the most common female cancer worldwide. In the majority of cases, the breast tumour is hormone receptor-positive and the woman is prescribed 5 years of adjuvant anti-hormonal therapy. Many women experience side effects from the treatment. Symptoms can be so severe that some women choose to discontinue treatment. This study was conducted in order to find methods to support women treated with adjuvant anti-hormonal breast cancer therapy to complete their treatment, by elucidating how they experience the side effects and how they act and reflect on coping and on rehabilitation- related issues. The study includes twelve women from two focus group interviews. The recorded interviews were analysed using qualitative content analysis with an inductive approach. The women felt alienated from their body, which they felt had aged a lot. They reported symptoms from the joints and muscles, such as pain, aching and stiffness, and muscle cramps. They also reported fatigue and menopausal symptoms. The bodily changes were strong hindrances when they tried to live and work as before. They felt that they had been given insufficient information about the anti-hormonal therapy and its side effects. They also felt they lacked support from the health care providers in how to cope with the symptoms. They furthermore had a sense of a large obstacle in the way of getting started with any physical activity. Overall, the women had an impaired self-reliance on the body. The fact that women, when offered rehabilitation, experienced it positively and managed it well can motivate those providing medical care to develop rehabilitation programmes adapted to the individual’s needs. Better rehabilitation programmes and improved information about the therapy and its side effects may make it easier for women with breast cancer to complete the anti-hormonal therapy.