We aimed to qualitatively explore factors related to fear of cancer recurrence in women who had a risk of cervical cancer relapse/metastasis and to identify the psychological effect of gynaecological examination and colposcopy in cancer survivors. We conducted the present descriptive study with a qualitative design based on the thematic analysis approach on ten women who under suspicion of new cancer and were admitted to the Gynaecological Oncology Polyclinic of Akdeniz University for colposcopy between July and October 2017 via in‐depth interviews. As a result of the interviews, we identified three main themes: colposcopy‐related fear, emotions associated with fear of cancer recurrence, and fear of being diagnosed with cancer. Moreover it was determined that women experienced a fear of death, fear of family being affected, fear of stigmatisation by society, and fear of not coping with the treatment process. We found that women with cancer history and undergoing colposcopy because of abnormal cervical cytology in routine oncology controls experienced a significant fear of cancer recurrence. We found that gynaecological examination and colposcopy caused anxiety in patients. Healthcare professions should be aware and help women to cope with the fear of cancer recurrence in the colposcopy process and should determine the social care needs of these patients.

中文翻译：

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接受阴道镜检查的土耳其癌症幸存者对癌症复发恐惧的定性探索

我们的目的是定性地探讨与有宫颈癌复发/转移风险的女性害怕癌症复发相关的因素，并确定妇科检查和阴道镜检查对癌症幸存者的心理影响。我们基于主题分析方法对 10 名怀疑患有新发癌症并于 2017 年 7 月至 10 月期间在阿克德尼兹大学妇科肿瘤综合诊所接受阴道镜检查的女性进行了本描述性研究。作为访谈的结果，我们确定了三个主要主题：与阴道镜检查相关的恐惧、与癌症复发恐惧相关的情绪以及对被诊断出癌症的恐惧。此外，确定妇女经历过对死亡的恐惧，害怕家人受到影响，害怕被社会污名化，害怕无法应对治疗过程。我们发现，有癌症病史并在常规肿瘤学控制中因宫颈细胞学异常而接受阴道镜检查的女性非常担心癌症复发。我们发现妇科检查和阴道镜检查会引起患者的焦虑。医疗保健专业人士应意识到并帮助女性应对阴道镜检查过程中对癌症复发的恐惧，并应确定这些患者的社会护理需求。我们发现妇科检查和阴道镜检查会引起患者的焦虑。医疗保健专业人士应意识到并帮助女性应对阴道镜检查过程中对癌症复发的恐惧，并应确定这些患者的社会护理需求。我们发现妇科检查和阴道镜检查会引起患者的焦虑。医疗保健专业人士应意识到并帮助女性应对阴道镜检查过程中对癌症复发的恐惧，并应确定这些患者的社会护理需求。