Sharing experiences in a support group: men's talk during the radiotherapy period for prostate cancer

OBJECTIVE: Prostate cancer, one of the most common cancers in men, is often treated with radiotherapy, which strains both physical and mental health. This study aimed to describe the experiences of men living with prostate cancer shared within conversational support groups during a course of radiotherapy. METHOD: Nine men participated in one of two groups that met six or seven times, led by a professional nurse. Qualitative content analysis was used to identify themes and subthemes in the recorded group conversations. RESULTS: The analysis resulted in six themes: living with a changing body, being in the hands of others, learning to live with the disease, the importance of knowledge, everyday life support, and meeting in the support group. The men discussed a wide variety of bodily experiences and described support from healthcare professionals, relatives, friends, and the support group as crucial to their recovery. SIGNIFICANCE OF RESULTS: Meeting men in a similar situation, sharing experiences of living with the disease, and feeling allied to each other were important to the men in our study. The conversational support group provided the patient with prostate cancer a forum where sharing was made possible.