THE MEANING OF THE PATIENT S EXPERIENCE IN THE TREATMENT OF PROSTATIC CANCER / O significado da vivência do paciente em tratamento de câncer de próstata

AUTOR(ES)
DATA DE PUBLICAÇÃO

2008

RESUMO

The estimated number of new cases of prostate cancer, in Brazil, in 2008, is 49.530. Such value corresponds to 52 new cases for each 100 thousand men. The increase, in the last decades, the incidence rate of prostate cancer can be justified by the modernization of the diagnosis methods, by the improvement of the quality of the Countrys Information systems and by the increase of life expectation of Brazilian people. The incidence rate of prostate cancer is about six times higher in developed countries compared to that of developing countries. In absolute values, the prostate cancer is the sixth most common type of cancer in the world and it is the type which mostly prevails in men, acting in about 10% of the total of cases of cancer. It is considered the cancer of the third age, once that about three forth of the cases in world reach men of 65 years old and above. This theme has been enough discussed, but little is known regarding the patients subjectivity of prostate cancer. Therefore, this research discusses the meaning of the patient s experience while in cancer prostate treatment. For that, I used the phenomenologic method, with the application of interviews, through a question-shot like which is the most significant events of your life?, hearing patients who accomplished the surgery of the prostate removal, the radical prostatectomy, about their own experience. This research intended to bring new knowledge on the prostate cancer, in what it concerns their psychological repercussions, so that it can demystify the complications of the treatment, as, for instance, the urinary incontinence and the sexual dysfunctions, discussing the patient s psychic suffering while in treatment, as well as stimulating new investigations on the theme. The place of data collection was my physiotherapy clinic for the pelvic floor. The sample was collected from 4 subject males, in the age group between 55 and 77 years, because it is in this age group that the prostate cancer most commonly occurs. After the accomplishment of the interviews, the following categories or sense units were so classified: the moment of the diagnosis; the patient-family-disease relationship; the doctor-patient relationship; facing the disease; and the male s role where it stands?; the postprostatectomia radical sexuality ; and the infantilization and the feminization by the use of diapers and of intimate protectors. After the discussion of such categories, I could understand that, besides medical attendance, they need psychological support for better facing the disease. Key- words: prostate cancer, phenomenology, the patients subjectivity, masculine urinary incontinence, sexual dysfunction.

ASSUNTO(S)

subjetividade - dissertaÇÕes cÂncer de prÓstata - dissertaÇÕes fenomenologia - dissertaÇÕes psicologia social incontinÊncia urinÁria - dissertaÇÕes

ACESSO AO ARTIGO

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