Patient Perspectives on the Causes of Breast Cancer: A Qualitative Study on the Relationship Between Stress, Trauma, and Breast Cancer Development

Abstract ObjectivesWe qualitatively evaluated breast cancer survivors’ perception of the relation between breastcancer development and both childhood trauma and stressful life events in adulthood.MethodsWomen (N = 50) who have or had a positive breast cancer diagnosis completed a close-endedsurvey, a timeline of significant life events, and an in-depth interview. All interviews weretranscribed and inductively coded using thematic analysis with an emphasis on patientperspectives of illness.ResultsParticipants reported a perceived connection between breast cancer development and stressfullife events, and five themes were identified: 1) major interpersonal conflict in both childhood andadulthood, 2) patterns of stressful life events in childhood and adulthood, 3) ideas about whybreast cancer developed, 4) relation between emotional stress and physical disease, 5) posttraumaticgrowth and meaning-making.ConclusionOur findings suggest the need for future research evaluating the long-term sequelae of stress andchildhood trauma in breast cancer development.