Nutritional experiences and perceptions of breast cancer patients receiving chemotherapy: a qualitative study

Abstract

Objective: This study aims to determine the nutritional experiences and perceptions of breast cancer patients receiving chemotherapy. Methods: The sample of this qualitative study consisted of 12 breast cancer patients receiving chemotherapy, selected using the purposive sampling method. The data were collected with a semi-structured interview method and evaluated with the phenomenological analysis method. Results: Three main themes emerged in the research: “hunger for knowledge”, “I want to protect and improve my health” and “the meaning attributed to diet”. According to the results, most of the patients did not get enough information about nutrition in chemotherapy, and they did not know what to eat in this period. Nearly half of the patients considered the foods as medicine and found nutritional solutions to overcome the side effects of chemotherapy. Conclusion: It is essential to give sufficient nutritional information to patients receiving chemotherapy. The study provides comprehensive information about the nutritional experiences and perceptions of breast cancer patients receiving chemotherapy and is thought to contribute to the planning and implementation of holistic care.