Abstract

Objective
The nutritional status of cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy is closely related to the compliance of nutrition education. However, as chemotherapy is conducted repeatedly, compliance with nutrition management is lowered, leading to malnutrition. Malnutrition is related directly to the quality of life after surgery in cancer patients. Therefore, this study examined the factors related to compliance with nutrition management during chemotherapy.
Methods
In this study, five subjects with colorectal cancer undergoing adjuvant chemotherapy were interviewed in-depth using the Giorgi study method. The contents of the nutrition education visits and in-depth interviews were transcribed in the language of the subject after recording, and the appropriateness of the data was improved by reflecting the subject’s actions and facial expressions.
Results
After conducting the in-depth interviews for each subject, the experience of the subject’s diet and adjuvant chemotherapy was drawn into two domains, six elements, and 26 sub-elements. In the cognitive domain, the patients experienced physical and psychological changes, and the need for nutrition management was recognized by analyzing the dietary causes of the diseases. In the domain of practice, a knowing-doing gap was formed, unlike the patient’s will. Factors that inhibited compliance with nutritional management included digestive problems, sensory changes, loss of appetite, and social interaction stress.
Conclusions
Dietary management is very important for patients receiving periodic anticancer therapy, and step-by-step training and personal monitoring based on the chemotherapy order is necessary to maintain the patient’s will and social and environmental support.

• Keywords: colorectal cancer; chemotherapy; Giorgi phenomenology; dietary education compliance