Biographical experience of women with cancer

The paper discusses results of multidisciplinary research project realized in Riga Stradins University in which sociological investigation is allocated an important role alongside medical, genetic and biological research. The sociological research tasks are to investigate changes in quality of life, psychological and social problems after diagnosis of breast cancer or hereditary genome mutation, choice of risk decreasing activities, evaluation of social support and other social aspects.

The analysis of biographical interviews with hereditary breast cancer gene carriers from different typological groups (different age, both healthy and ill with breast cancer) is part of this research. Diagnosis of breast cancer or inherited breast cancer gene is a life break essentially changing attitude to the body as a value, to the identity, to the life style. This life break brings women to revaluation of the life and to turn to searching of causation in the past, by analyzing their place and their role in the past events. The informants seem to have found explanation of many personal problems and their present illness in their own attitudes to their body. In cases of oncological diseases or in cases of inherited gene mutation of breast cancer women search help and consolation in different religion streams, alternative medicine, psychological support, considering that positive sense could be the base for the recovery of the body. The sense is considered as an active factor shaping the individual and the total world.

Research project financially supported by the European Social Fund.