Post–Breast Cancer Lymphedema and the Family: A Qualitative Investigation of Families Coping With Chronic Illness

Abstract

The number of women who experience breast cancer is increasing. Meanwhile there have been improvements in technologies used for detection and intervention. As a result, more women are living as breast cancer survivors who are now dealing with issues of quality of life related to the aftereffects of treatments. For about one third of women who have treatments involving the removal of and/or irradiation of the axillary lymph nodes, secondary lymphedema of the arm is likely to develop.We take a qualitative approach to investigating how lymphedema affects these women and their families in terms of task completion and family functioning. The Family Adjustment and Adaptation Response (FAAR) Model is used to interpret findings. These indicate that families who are more flexible in modifying daily tasks and who have preexisting resources for coping with stressors have more positive outcomes than do those families who are rigid and cope with stressors poorly.