OBJECTIVE: To examine bereaved relatives' experiences from time of diagnosis of incurable @entity5 until @entity204 with specific emphasis on their role in the (end-of-life) decision-making concerning chemotherapy. DESIGN: Qualitative interview study. SETTING: Hospital-based. @entity1 AND METHODS: In-depth interviews with 15 close relatives of @entity1 who died from @entity1149 or @entity788 , using a thematic content analysis. RESULTS: All relatives reported that @entity1 ' main reason to request chemotherapy was the possibility to prolong life. Relatives reported that @entity1 receiving chemotherapy had more difficulty to accept the incurable nature of their disease than @entity1 who did not. They mostly followed the @entity1 ' treatment wish and only infrequently suggested ceasing chemotherapy (because of side effects) despite sometimes believing that this would be a better option. Relatives continuously tried to support the @entity1 in either approaching the @entity204 or in attaining hope to continue life satisfactorily. Most relatives considered the chemotherapy period meaningful, since it sparked @entity1 ' hope and was what @entity1 wanted. Cessation of chemotherapy caused a relief but coincided with physical deterioration and an increased caregivers' role; many relatives recalled this latter period as more burdensome. CONCLUSIONS: Relatives tend to follow @entity1 ' wish to continue or cease chemotherapy, without expressing their own feelings, although they were more inclined to opt cessation. They experience a greater caregiver role after cessation and their feelings of responsibility associated with the disease can be exhausting. More attention is needed to reduce relatives' distress at the end of life, also to fully profit from this crucial form of (informal) healthcare.

Bereaved relatives' experiences during the incurable phase of XXXX : a qualitative interview study.

@entity1 :: ('9606', 'Species') :: ['patients', 'patient', 'PARTICIPANTS'] @entity788 :: ('MESH:D010190', 'Disease') :: ['pancreatic cancer'] @entity5 :: ('MESH:D009369', 'Disease') :: ['cancer'] @entity1149 :: ('MESH:D002289', 'Disease') :: ['non-small cell lung cancer'] @entity204 :: ('MESH:D003643', 'Disease') :: ['death']
@entity5 :: (MESH:D009369,Disease) :: ['cancer']
