A qualitative study among breast cancer patients on chemotherapy: experiences and side-effects

Figures & data

Table 1 Description of the breast cancer patients from qualitative interview

Patient	Age	Gender	Ethnicity	Stage of cancer	Treatment(s)
IV001	47	Female	Malay	4	Surgery, adjuvant chemotherapy, hormonal therapy
IV002	60	Female	Malay	3	Surgery, adjuvant chemotherapy, radiotherapy, hormonal therapy
IV003	50	Female	Malay	4	Neoadjuvant chemotherapy, surgery, radiotherapy
IV004	62	Female	Chinese	1	Surgery, adjuvant chemotherapy, radiotherapy
IV005	56	Female	Malay	3	Surgery, adjuvant chemotherapy, hormonal therapy
IV006	52	Female	Malay	2	Surgery, adjuvant chemotherapy, radiotherapy, hormonal therapy
IV007	51	Female	Malay	3	Surgery, adjuvant chemotherapy, radiotherapy, targeted therapy
IV008	47	Female	Malay	2	Surgery, adjuvant chemotherapy, radiotherapy
IV009	59	Female	Malay	2	Surgery, adjuvant chemotherapy, targeted therapy
IV010	46	Female	Malay	4	Surgery, palliative chemotherapy
IV011	66	Female	Chinese	2	Surgery, adjuvant chemotherapy
IV012	68	Female	Malay	2	Surgery, adjuvant chemotherapy, radiotherapy, hormonal therapy
IV013	61	Female	Malay	2	Neoadjuvant chemotherapy, surgery, radiotherapy
IV014	52	Female	Chinese	3	Surgery, adjuvant chemotherapy, hormonal therapy, radiotherapy
IV015	34	Female	Malay	3	Neoadjuvant chemotherapy, surgery, radiotherapy, hormonal therapy
IV016	37	Female	Malay	4	Neoadjuvant chemotherapy, surgery, radiotherapy, hormonal therapy
IV017	49	Female	Malay	2	Surgery, adjuvant chemotherapy, radiotherapy
IV018	51	Male	Chinese	3	Neoadjuvant chemotherapy, surgery, radiotherapy
IV019	59	Female	Indian	3	Surgery, adjuvant chemotherapy, radiotherapy, hormonal therapy
IV020	65	Female	Malay	2	Surgery, adjuvant chemotherapy
IV021	59	Female	Malay	2	Surgery, adjuvant chemotherapy
IV022	37	Female	Chinese	1	Surgery, adjuvant chemotherapy, radiotherapy, hormonal therapy
IV023	53	Female	Chinese	2	Surgery, adjuvant chemotherapy, radiotherapy, hormonal therapy
IV024	55	Female	Malay	2	Surgery, adjuvant chemotherapy, radiotherapy
IV025	55	Female	Malay	2	Surgery, adjuvant chemotherapy, radiotherapy, hormonal therapy
IV026	68	Female	Chinese	3	Surgery, adjuvant chemotherapy, radiotherapy
IV027	51	Female	Malay	3	Surgery, adjuvant chemotherapy, radiotherapy
IV028	38	Female	Malay	3	Surgery, adjuvant chemotherapy, radiotherapy
IV029	63	Female	Chinese	2	Surgery, adjuvant chemotherapy, radiotherapy, hormonal therapy
IV030	61	Female	Chinese	2	Surgery, adjuvant chemotherapy, radiotherapy
IV031	58	Female	Indian	1	Surgery, adjuvant chemotherapy, radiotherapy
IV032	57	Female	Malay	3	Neoadjuvant chemotherapy, surgery, radiotherapy
IV033	71	Female	Indian	3	Surgery, adjuvant chemotherapy, radiotherapy
IV034	39	Female	Malay	2	Surgery, adjuvant chemotherapy, radiotherapy
IV035	42	Female	Malay	2	Surgery, adjuvant chemotherapy, radiotherapy, hormonal therapy
IV036	34	Female	Malay	3	Neoadjuvant chemotherapy, surgery, radiotherapy

Table 2 Systematic symptoms/signs during chemotherapy (not exclusive)

Signs/symptoms	Number of cases (%)
Breathing difficulty	4 (11.1)
Cold	2 (5.6)
Constipation	3 (8.3)
Coughing	5 (13.9)
Cracked lips/dry mouth	22 (61.1)
Darkened nails	4 (11.1)
Diarrhea	2 (5.6)
Dizziness	7 (19.4)
Dry eye	1 (2.8)
Dry skin	2 (5.6)
Fever	13 (33.3)
Flu	1 (2.8)
Hair loss	24 (66.7)
Headache	3 (8.3)
Insomnia	13 (36.1)
Loss of appetite	19 (52.8)
Nausea	7 (19.4)
Sore throat	1 (2.8)
Tasteless	7 (19.4)
Tired/fatigue	16 (44.4)
Toothache	2 (5.6)
Ulcer	5 (13.9)
Vomiting	21 (58.3)
Warm	11 (30.6)

Table 3 The number of patients who expressed a given theme

Theme	Number of patients (N=36)	Percentage of patients (%)
Know nothing of chemotherapy	6	16.67
Fear of chemotherapy	10	27.78
Patients’ beliefs in alternative treatment	15	41.67
Symptom management	20	55.56
Staying healthy after chemotherapy	4	11.11
Concerns of patients after chemotherapy	11	30.56

Table 4 The number of patients who expressed a given subtheme

Subtheme	Number of patients (N=36)	Percentage of patients (%)
Lack of knowledge about chemotherapy	6	16.67
The consequences after receiving chemotherapy	9	25.00
Fear of hospitalization	1	2.78
Concurrent use of complementary and alternative medicine with chemotherapy	11	30.56
Patients’ perception towards the impact of complementary and alternative medicines on cancer	4	11.11
Quarantined themselves and tolerated the side-effects passively	5	13.89
Solutions to encounter appetite problem	5	13.89
Lifestyle adjustments	3	8.33
Encountering the impact of chemotherapy positively	7	19.44
Avoid the crowd to prevent infection	4	11.11
Worrying about the possibility of recurrence in future	11	30.56