Meanings of breast cancer treatment for lesbian women and their intimate partners

Abstract Objective Among women at risk of developing breast cancer, lesbians tend to have their health needs neglected, which calls for the development of strategies that are sensitive to their specific demands. This qualitative study aimed to understand the meanings that lesbian women with breast cancer and their intimate partners attribute to the treatment. Method This is a qualitative, descriptive-exploratory study with a cross-sectional design, grounded in gender studies as the theoretical framework. Participants included seven women (four with a breast cancer diagnosis and three intimate partners). Episodic narrative interviews were conducted individually using a topic guide. Transcribed data were coded through thematic analysis, with emerging themes interpreted within the gender studies framework. Results Six themes described the meanings that women with cancer constructed for their treatment and eight themes outlined the meanings assigned by their companions. Conclusion The treatment was experienced with distinct meanings by patients and their intimate partners, yet all converged on the perception of the experience as a limiting situation – one that not only tested their tolerance for pain and frustration but also forced them to confront the fragility of the human condition.