Background:

Ovarian cancer can affect women of all ages, but most commonly in elderly women over 65 years old. This disease causes symptoms that are hard to identify, making it difficult to diagnose. Often ovarian cancer is already advanced when detected, which makes it hard to treat. About 70 percent of women who suffers from ovarian cancer respond to the first-line treatment. Unfortunately, most women relapse within two years. Both treatment for cancer and cancer itself can have side effects that are minor but also major and long lasting, affecting women’s quality of life in different ways. Previous research has found that these women have a lot of fear and anxiety towards the risk of recurrence in ovarian cancer. This knowledge is important for registered nurses to have in nursing assessment and to get a holistic perspective.

Aim:

The aim of the study was to illuminate women’s experiences of continuing to live after completing primary treatment of ovarian cancer.

Method:

The method used was a literature-based study based on qualitative research.

Results:

Two themes emerged from the analysis with an additional five underthemes. The first theme, “The fight continues through finished treatment” described the women's experiences of new difficulties that they were going through after completed primary treatment. This included living with eternal fear and uncertainty, needs for support and being seen as a whole person. The second theme, “The striving for a new quality of life” described the women's experiences of different ways to act, to continuing living after primary treatment of ovarian cancer. This included the feeling of having control and safety, doing good to oneself and others creates comfort and lastly, to land on and find herself. 

Conclusion:

The conclusion was that women, who had completed and finished the primary cancer treatment experienced a lack of support within the follow up. This lack of support caused an increased feeling of suffering and worsened their life of quality.