Abstract

SANTOS, Priscilla Andrewns dos  and  SERRALTA, Fernanda Barcellos. Narratives about cancer: a clinical-qualitative study on palliative care. Rev. SBPH [online]. 2019, vol.22, n.2, pp. 301-324. ISSN 1516-0858.

This qualitative exploratory study aimed at knowing how oncologic patients on palliative care experience their disease process. A clinical-qualitative study of multiple cases (n=5) was conducted with patients from a General Hospital from Porto Alegre city, through semi-structured interviews with patients, family members, and health staff that involved with their care. Results were organized into 4 categories: 1) in the shadow of the family history - considers the attribution of the influence of the existence or absence of family history of cancer in the late pursuit for medical monitoring and identification of the disease; 2) everything changed - refers to cancer repercussion in patient's daily life, their relationships and their own self; 3) surviving among the chaos - describes the defense mechanisms and other resources used in confrontation of the disease and its entailment; 4) life and death - approaches the ambivalence of feelings experienced by the oncologic patients in palliative care when facing the perspective of finitude. It was noted that cancer generates a great amount of changes in the life of patients and their families, generating not only distress but also new ways of living life and dealing with conflicts.

Keywords : oncologic patient; palliative care; psycho-oncology.

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