The Lived Experience Of Ovarian Cancer: A Phenomenological Approach

Objective:  To explore and illuminate the lived experience of women diagnosed with ovarian cancer.

Design: A phenomenological approach, which allows individuals to tell their story and to make meaning of their truth, their reality, and their experience. Phenomenology allows researchers to interpret the meaning of the experiences through hearing and observing the words and descriptions.

Setting: The women were interviewed for an hour or more at their home or workplace. Each interview was audio-recorded and transcribed.

Sample: Eleven women (ages 23 to 66) were interviewed, beginning with the open-ended question, “Tell me about events leading up to your diagnosis of ovarian cancer.” The women were diagnosed with stages II (n=1), III (n=8), and IV (n=2) ovarian cancer (stages III and IV are advanced stages) within the past five years.

Methods: The narrative responses were analyzed for constitutive patterns and relational themes according to the hermeneutic phenomenological process. By illuminating the memories and recollections of the women, the meanings and particulars of the ovarian cancer experience were identified by a research team.                                             

Results: Prior to diagnosis, most women were not aware of the symptoms of ovarian cancer. Even though symptoms were present, they were often attributed to gastrointestinal and renal problems by both the patient and provider. There was an average delay in diagnosis of at least six months. Six constitutive patterns evolved from the experiences of the eleven women: The Revelation, Jeopardy, On the Lookout, Becoming Normal, and Living Every Moment. 

Conclusion/Implications for nursing practice: The women participated in this study with the hope and expectation that their experience would be passed on to health care providers who care for women. They wanted the information to contribute to improvement in the care provided with hopes for earlier diagnosis. They longed for others to know about the difficulties they experienced when they sensed that something was wrong within their body and having to search for answers by going from provider to provider. When they eventually received the correct diagnosis, they faced complex physical, spiritual, and psychological needs associated with being told they had an illness that had advanced to the point of having no cure. This study delineates the women’s symptoms which should enable nurses to educate women about the symptoms of ovarian cancer, along with evaluating their risk factors. In addition, the women provided key insights into approaches and strategies for facing death while embracing life.

Keywords: Ovarian cancer, lived experience, phenomenology, women’s health