Abstract

Purpose/Objectives

With a growing number of young women with metastatic breast cancer (MBC) in the United States, it is important to consider how their diagnoses affect their relationships with others. The dual identities of being young and having MBC create unique challenges for women’s relationships. However, there is little extant research on the relationship experiences and needs of young women with MBC. The purpose of this study is to understand how young women describe their lived experiences with social and intimate relationships following their diagnoses of MBC.

Design

A cross-sectional qualitative study with a life course theoretical framework was employed.

Sample/Participants

Purposive sampling yielded nine participants who took part in semi-structured interviews. Phenomenology informed understanding of the lived experience of young women with MBC.

Findings

The findings describe how young women with MBC made meaning out of their relationships to other people following their diagnoses, via themes of feeling alienated from other women with breast cancer, friendship trajectories, managing intimate relationships, how much to share with children, losing the dream of (more) children, and finding a voice in the MBC community.

Conclusion

MBC links participants’ lives to individuals from their preexisting relationships, new friendships, and the breast cancer community in irrevocable ways.

Implications for Psychosocial Providers

These findings present new information about the social and relationship needs of young women with MBC. Psychosocial providers and medical team members should not presume MBC patients’ disinterest in fertility preservation.

中文翻译：

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患有转移性乳腺癌的年轻女性的相关生活

摘要

目的/目标

随着美国越来越多的年轻女性患有转移性乳腺癌 (MBC)，考虑她们的诊断如何影响她们与他人的关系非常重要。年轻和拥有 MBC 的双重身份给女性的关系带来了独特的挑战。然而，关于年轻女性与 MBC 的关系经历和需求的现有研究很少。本研究的目的是了解年轻女性在诊断出 MBC 后如何描述她们在社交和亲密关系方面的生活经历。

设计

采用了具有生命历程理论框架的横断面定性研究。

样本/参与者

有目的的抽样产生了九名参加半结构化访谈的参与者。现象学有助于了解年轻女性 MBC 的生活经历。

发现

研究结果描述了患有 MBC 的年轻女性在诊断后如何通过与其他患有乳腺癌的女性感到疏远、友谊轨迹、管理亲密关系、与孩子分享多少、失去梦想等主题，使她们与他人的关系变得有意义（更多）儿童，并在 MBC 社区中找到发言权。

结论

MBC 以不可撤销的方式将参与者的生活与他们先前存在的关系、新的友谊和乳腺癌社区联系起来。

对社会心理提供者的影响

这些发现提供了有关 MBC 年轻女性社交和人际关系需求的新信息。心理社会提供者和医疗团队成员不应假定 MBC 患者对保留生育能力不感兴趣。