Onkologie. 2026:20(4):258-262 | DOI: 10.36290/xon.2026.046
Less visible forms of distress associated with health loss in cancer patients: implications for nursing care
- Katedra sociální práce, Vysoká škola polytechnická Jihlava
The experience of health loss in oncology patients represents a complex, dynamic, and multidimensional process that significantly affects psychosocial adaptation and quality of life. In addition to the evident physical burden, patients also face less apparent, often not explicitly expressed forms of psychological, relational, and existential distress that may remain more difficult to recognize in clinical practice. The article focuses on selected aspects of experiencing health loss based on qualitative research conducted using interpretative phenomenological analysis. Particular attention is devoted to the experience of health loss as a cumulative and non-linear process, boundary-setting as a regulation of relational burden, the impact of the death of fellow patients, and the importance of psychological support during the course of cancer care. The text also reflects the implications of these findings for nursing practice. The article aims to provide nurses with an orienting framework for more sensitive recognition of less apparent forms of distress and to support individualized psychosocial care for oncology patients.
Keywords: oncology patient, health loss, coping strategies, psychosocial support, nursing care.
Accepted: September 21, 2026; Published: October 9, 2026 Show citation
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