EXPERIENCES OF BREAST CANCER TREATMENT AMONG WOMEN IN HARARE

Abstract

The study explores breast cancer treatment among women in Zimbabwe and how women engage with breast cancer treatment. The study looks into cancer survivorship in Zimbabwe concerning the use of alternative cancer medicines as palliative methods. The article makes the argument that breast cancer treatment information dissemination remains low with most women viewing breast cancer as a death sentence. The article examines literature from around the globe on breast cancer treatment and the coping strategies employed by breast cancer patients in African settings. The study used a qualitative research methodology with a descriptive research design. The study found that lack of information influenced treatment seeking among women in Zimbabwe with most women regarding breast cancer as a death sentence due to lack of information on the available treatments for breast cancer and survival chances. The findings indicate that breast cancer is regarded as a spiritual disease in Africa caused by witchcraft.