Cancer Treatment and the Fear of Death

INTRODUCTION: The fear of death has significantly appeared in women’s narratives about specific aspects and needs regarding cancer treatment. This study aimed to understand the coping strategies used by female patients with cancer during the illness process, as well as to highlight the psychological factors involved in the fear of death. METHODS: A qualitative study was carried, using narrative interview as instrument to collect data. Information gathering task was accomplished using content analysis technique. Later on, conceptual maps were designed, so as to include the enunciative instances related to the fear of death. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: The fear of death is reported in the context of situations of suffering experienced by the interviewed women, lying underneath manifested physical and psychological aspects of these patients. The lack of information intensely shows the need of being listened to in issues related to living with cancer. CONCLUSIONS: It is possible to identify/recognize the fear of death in situations of anxiety, especially when dealing with side effects of cancer treatment and its relation with affective and emotional ways of interaction in the treatment process. KEYWORDS: Neoplasms, Cancer, Treatment, Fear, Death