Mapping the symptom management journey across the treatment cycle for breast cancer patients

The aim of this study is to identify the multidimensional needs of breast cancer patients in symptom management using a patient journey map, providing an evidence-based foundation for optimizing nursing interventions. This descriptive qualitative study recruited 15 breast cancer patients from a tertiary hospital in Hefei for semi-structured interviews between January and August 2024. Data were analyzed using Colaizzi’s 7-step method to construct a comprehensive journey map. The symptom management journey comprised 3 phases: screening and diagnosis, the perioperative period, and the ongoing treatment phase. Twenty-two themes were categorized into tasks, emotions, and pain points. Tasks included symptom detection and rehabilitation; emotions encompassed generalized anxiety and stigma; and pain points highlighted barriers like symptom misinterpretation and the risk of loss to follow-up. The map visually illustrated the dynamic evolution of patient needs. The findings highlight distinct stage-specific patterns in patients’ needs and barriers during symptom management. The patient journey map serves as a structured framework for identifying key intervention nodes and supporting more targeted, stage-oriented nursing care.