Abstract
Background: Many women with ovarian cancer experience significant chemotherapy-related adverse effects during treatment and thus cannot complete it without dose reductions and/or delays. There is some indication that chemotherapy completion is associated with improved survival, although currently little is known about what helps women get through chemotherapy.
Objective: The aim of this study was to explore women's accounts of the factors they believed were helpful during their ovarian cancer treatment.
Methods: Using a qualitative approach within a critical realist framework, we conducted interviews with 18 women who had received chemotherapy for ovarian cancer and analyzed the data thematically.
Results: We identified 3 main themes related to women's experiences of dealing with chemotherapy: "optimistic tenacity," which illustrates a specific stoic identity that women assumed during treatment; "self-care," which reflects the health behaviors and activities women engaged in and lifestyle adjustments they made; and "support systems," which emphasizes the importance of social, emotional, and medical support and the specific needs shared by women undergoing treatment for ovarian cancer.
Conclusions: Our findings contribute to a deeper understanding of women's unique experiences of treatment that may influence whether they complete chemotherapy for ovarian cancer.
Implications for Practice: This study highlights the central role of women's optimistic determination within a wider self-caring and well-supported context of treatment; we aim to provide feedback and guidance to health professionals caring for women with ovarian cancer.