Coping Process Against Familial Breast Cancer by Second Patients within Blood Relatives

Abstract

Purpose: When the second patient is diagnosed with breast cancer, there is a high possibility that the disease is familial, and her ability to cope with the disease is essential for the family to adapt to the presence of familial breast cancer. This study aimed to understand the coping process of the second patient within blood relatives who has been diagnosed with familial breast cancer to identify effective nursing strategies.
Method: Data were gathered using semi-structured interviews based on an interview guide and analyzed using qualitative and inductive research methods.
Result: Sixteen patients were enrolled (age range: 40-72 years). Core categories were Caution without enforcement (before onset), Intuition with high sensitivity (at first breast cancer signs), Proband as a good bellwether, Advocating for blood relatives, and Advocating beyond the family without obsessing with heredity (all after diagnosis).
Discussion: Nursing strategies to enhance adaptation to familial breast cancer in a consanguineous family are 1) to reduce the anxiety of non-patients and to minimize the negative impacts on life decisions while still preparing against crises (breast cancer) and 2) to accumulate the coping strategies of the bellwethers among the consanguineous family.