2013 Volume 27 Issue 3 Pages 5-13
Abstract
The aim of this study was to explore the life process of elderly male patients who wished to survive advanced esophageal cancer by undergoing chemoradiotherapy（CRT）. Semistructured and in-depth interviews were conducted with 11 elderly males who were advanced esophageal cancer patients. The data were analyzed using the Modified-Grounded Theory Approach.
The interview results elucidated not just living with the threat of esophageal cancer, but also the process of gaining wisdom for living beyond esophageal cancer. When the participants were informed about their esophageal cancer, they felt that “living with the threat of esophageal cancer” was as if they were close to death. By “communicating with their bodies”, participants living with the threat of esophageal cancer understood that they had to “start making an attempt to survive esophageal cancer”. By thinking of “living one’s life beyond esophageal cancer” instead of “living with the threat of esophageal cancer”, they significantly improved their perception of the overall life process. The subjects disregarded traditional values and hang-ups to “create a new pace of life” and discovered the meaning of life through cancer survival despite the hardships. Consequently, they “took pride in themselves” and changed their perception by “living their life beyond esophageal cancer”.
Nursing care is very important for managing and improving behavioral changes caused by cancer and intense invasive treatments such as CRT. However, nursing from the perspective of cancer survival seeks to increase the patient’s strength to survive cancer, especially focusing on the turning point in the patient’s behavior. Moreover, nursing care helps patients to communicate with their own bodies and start moving forward by themselves.
