Views of patients with gynecologic cancer about the end of life

Abstract

This study was designed as a descriptive work assessing the reactions of gynecologic cancer patients to poor prognosis, determining their desires for the location of terminal care, and their preferences about life-sustaining technology. The study was carried out between 2002 and 2003 in a gynecologic oncology clinic of a university hospital located in Istanbul. Data were collected through interviews with 68 patients with gynecologic cancers. Collected data were analyzed through content analysis. It was found that survival is utterly important for the patients and that they wish to stay at hospitals as inpatients and receive life-sustaining treatments during the end-stage disease.