“I'm walking on eggshells”: Challenges faced by mothers with breast cancer in interacting with adolescent daughters

Background: With breast cancer becoming the most diagnosed cancer in the world, the number of breast cancer mothers with adolescent children is also rising. And for adolescent daughters, their mother server as a primary figure among the key processes of identification with their gender, femininity and sexuality. But breast cancer threats mother’s health including such a key symbol of her womanhood, the breast. Which may adversely affect the development of an adolescent daughter’s own sense of personal identity and womanhood. However, few researchers and practitioners on mother-daughter interactions in the context of breast cancer, therefor this study is aimed to reveal the nuances of interactive challenges with adolescent daughters faced by mother with breast cancer from mother’ perspective. Methods A qualitative study was conducted. With the sample saturation principle, data collected by semi-structured interviews with 21 breast cancer patients who are in line with breast conserving. Colaizzi’s method of phenomenology was used for data analysis and Foucauldian discourse approach was also partially integrated into the analysis for this research. Results Three major themes emerged from the data. The themes were the following: (1) Mothers are lost in chaos (unable to deal with the shock of cancer, powerlessness of the uncertainty about the life span, and confused about how to respond to daughter's curiosity); (2) Mothers struggle for balance (protect daughter or let her be independent, as a mother or a patient); and (3) Mothers are immersed in guilt (increasing risk of cancer for daughters, influencing the development of daughter, and bring burden to daughter). Conclusions Our findings explore the interaction experience of breast cancer mothers and adolescence daughters, and further reveal the nuances of mother–daughter interaction challenges faced by mother with breast cancer from mother’ perspective. To help mothers enhance interaction with their daughters and assist health practitioners to translate our findings into health interventions.