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Qualitative Health Research
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The Quality of Life of Elderly Women Who Underwent Radiofrequency Ablation to Treat Breast Cancer

Jillian Roberts

University of Victoria, British Columbia, Canada.

Lani Morden

Sheryl MacMath

Kendra Massie

Ivo A. Olivotto

BC Cancer Agency; Department of Surgery and Radiation Oncology at the University of British Columbia, Canada.

Cathy Parker

Vancouver Island Health Authority, Victoria General Hospital, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada.

Allen Hayashi

BC Cancer Agency and the Vancouver Island Health Authority, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada.

The purpose of this article is to explore the effects of radiofrequency ablation (RFA), an investigational treatment for breast cancer, on the quality of life of elderly women. For this descriptive phenomenological study, the authors interviewed 12 White women (aged 60-81 years) 4 months to 1 year after treatment and analyzed these interviews for common themes. They asked questions regarding the lived experience of RFA treatment and its effects on quality of life. Analyses focused on the effects of deciding to have the RFA treatment and the treatment itself. They found quality of life improved because the women felt empowered by (a) their decision to have the procedure, (b) knowing that the procedure might kill the tumor, (c) and feeling that they were contributing to cancer research. The level of support received from the medical team, family and friends, and other cancer survivors also improved participant quality of life.

Key Words: radiofrequency ablation • descriptive phenomenology • breast cancer treatment

Qualitative Health Research, Vol. 16, No. 6, 762-772 (2006)
DOI: 10.1177/1049732306288541
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[Abstract] [PDF]