Abstract
In recent decades, Brazil has been changing its morbidity and mortality profile. In this transition, mortality from infectious diseases declined followed by an increase of deaths due to chronic-degenerative diseases, such as cancer. The diagnosis of cancer represents the possibility of death, which for some people really occurs, and it is not uncommon for cancer patients to be under Palliative Care. PC is an approach that seeks to improve the quality of life of patients and families facing a life-threatening illness. Sickness and oncological treatment bring intense change in the body and life of patients. Considering that such modifications may cause suffering, this study aims to investigate the psychological effects of the corporal modifications resulting from the oncologic illness in patients under PC. In this exploratory qualitative research, four patients diagnosed with cancer hospitalized in a PC ward of a public hospital in São Paulo were interviewed. The interviews were recorded and transcribed; data analysis was based on discourse analysis. Subjects’ discourse shows that the corporal changes are potential generators of suffering, also configuring as triggers for the theme of finitude. The negative stigma associated with cancer also appears in the participants’ discourse, and the care received contributed to the recovery of the subjectivity of the patients. Thus, this study suggests that the experience of cancer in the body extends beyond the physical body loss, to a loss of the self. Moreover, the incorporation of corporal modifications allows the reconstruction of the patient’s view of himself and this process is facilitated by the intersubjective encounter of the patient with the professionals who care for him singularly.
Palliative Care; Psychology; Neoplasms; Body Image