The Experience of Initiating Oral Adjuvant Treatment for Estrogen Receptor-Positive Breast Cancer.

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVES To describe the experience of women with estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer who are initiating oral adjuvant therapy and to determine what they describe as facilitating and/or hindering this experience. 
. RESEARCH APPROACH Qualitative inquiry. 
. SETTING Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center in Boston. 
. PARTICIPANTS 14 women aged 48-81 years. 
. METHODOLOGIC APPROACH Qualitative, descriptive study using content analysis.
. FINDINGS Five themes were identified. CONCLUSIONS Each participant who was initiating oral adjuvant treatment described many unmet needs. Women who were caregivers, were older aged, had several chronic illnesses, and were on several medications reported more difficulty transitioning to oral adjuvant therapy. 
. INTERPRETATION This study suggests that nurses need to collaborate with other members of the healthcare team to assess the needs of and provide comprehensive care to women initiating oral adjuvant therapy. This is particularly true for women who are older aged, self-reported caregivers, and on several medications, and who have chronic comorbid conditions.