{
  "abstract": "PurposeTo explore patients' experiences, perceptions, self-management practices, and unmet supportive care needs regarding nutritional management in breast cancer-related lymphedema, and to inform future patient-centered interventions.MethodsGuided by Fitch's Supportive Care Framework, we developed a semi-structured interview guide and conducted in-depth interviews with 13 patients with breast cancer-related lymphedema recruited via purposive sampling between January and October 2025. Interview data were analyzed using a framework-guided hybrid inductive–deductive thematic analysis. This approach integrated theory-driven coding informed by Fitch's framework with data-driven theme development.ResultsThree core themes emerged, encompassing nine sub-themes: (a) inadequate understanding and misconceptions regarding nutrition management, comprising lack of lymphedema-specific nutritional knowledge, poor recognition of diet-disease associations, and low self-efficacy in nutritional management; (b) practical challenges in nutrition management, comprising lack of nutritional management skills, fluctuations in dietary adherence, ambiguity in attributing symptoms to dietary causes, and absence of a self-monitoring system; and (c) gaps in support systems and unmet needs, comprising insufficient family collaboration and support and lack of continuous professional guidance.ConclusionsPatients with breast cancer-related lymphedema described multifaceted difficulties in nutritional management across cognitive, behavioral, and support dimensions. These findings suggest that healthcare providers should recognize these real-world experiences when planning supportive care. Future interventions may consider combining cognitive support, skill-building, and systematic support; however, this qualitative study cannot determine whether such interventions affect lymphedema outcomes or self-management capabilities.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "Department of Nursing, Affiliated Rudong Hospital of Xinglin College, Nantong University, Nantong, China",
    "Department of Nursing, Nantong Tongzhou Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nantong, China",
    "Department of General Surgery, Nantong Tongzhou Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nantong, China"
  ],
  "article_type": null,
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 8,
  "authors": [
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Ming Yu"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        1
      ],
      "name": "Chunfang Li"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        2
      ],
      "name": "Yangyang Cao"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        2
      ],
      "name": "Yizhou Gu"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        1
      ],
      "name": "Xiaolan Zhou"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        1
      ],
      "name": "Xu Zhang"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Ronghui Geng"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        1
      ],
      "name": "Dandan Gu"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/0p59rg95rs705.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.3389/fnut.2026.1961839",
  "fulltext_url": "https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnut.2026.1961839/full",
  "id": "0p59rg95rs705",
  "issns": [
    "2296-861X"
  ],
  "landing_url": "https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2026.1961839",
  "language": "en",
  "licence": "CC-BY",
  "licence_label": "CC BY",
  "licence_source": "journal",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "lcc",
      "TX341-641"
    ],
    [
      "openalex",
      "2730|Cancer survivorship and care"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7223361750",
  "pdf_url": "https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/nutrition/articles/10.3389/fnut.2026.1961839/pdf",
  "pmcid": null,
  "pmid": null,
  "published": "2026-10-23",
  "publisher": "Frontiers Media S.A.",
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/0p59rg95rs705.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T13:43:47Z",
      "native_id": "6ddd15d7eab844c8b8d319fc5e13d85b",
      "source": "doaj",
      "url": "https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2026.1961839"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "medicine",
      "origin": "openalex:2730|Cancer survivorship and care",
      "subfield": "oncology"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Experiences of nutritional management in patients with breast cancer-related lymphedema: a qualitative study guided by Fitch's supportive care framework",
  "title_text": "Experiences of nutritional management in patients with breast cancer-related lymphedema: a qualitative study guided by Fitch's supportive care framework",
  "type": "peer-reviewed",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T13:43:47Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/0p59rg95rs705",
  "venue": "Frontiers in Nutrition",
  "versions": []
}