Background: Breast cancer is the most common form of cancer that affects women all over the world. In Sweden, approximately 80 000 women are diagnosed with breast cancer today. To be diagnosed with cancer can cause feelings of fear, anxiety and suffering. Therefore, psychosocial support is an important part which will facilitate their situation.

Aim: The aim of this study was to describe the need of psychosocial support among women with breast cancer.

Method: A literature based study based on the content of nine qualitative studies.

Results: The result showed three main themes: 'The experience of support during diagnosis', 'The experience of support while waiting for treatment' and 'The experience of support during treatment'. From the three main themes a total of five sub themes emerged. Each main theme included a sub theme representing women's support experiences and needs.

Conclusions: There were different kinds of support among women with breast cancer. These were informational support, social support, emotional support, acknowledging support and existential support. Women stated that support was of importance to be able to cope with their situation and feelings caused by breast cancer.

Bröstcancer är den främsta cancerformen som kvinnor insjuknar i och allt fler blir drabbade av diagnosen. Den här studien kommer att beskriva behovet av psykosocialt stöd bland kvinnor i samband med besked av bröstcancer, tiden innan behandling och under pågående behandling.

Utifrån bearbetning av nio artiklar inom ämnet som beskriver kvinnors upplevelse av att behöva psykosocialt stöd under diagnosticering samt behandling har tre teman och fem subteman framkommit och baserat arbetet.

Resultatet visar att kvinnor är i behov av stöd från anhöriga och sjukvårdspersonal för att hantera den upplevda situationen och kunna leva ett fungerande liv. Det framkommer att kvinnor upplever emotionell påverkan och har ett behov att få information och stöd inför kommande vård och behandling. Studien kan komma att ge sjuksköterskan och annan vårdpersonal vägledning om hur stöd kan ges till dessa patienter.