SPIRITUALITY IN DIFFERENT ONCOLOGY TREATMENT PROCESSES: NATIONAL INTEGRATIVE REVIEW

Abstract

With the increase in the incidence of cancer worldwide, as well as the complexity of treatments and prognoses, there is a clear need to explore new possibilities for supporting treatment and promoting quality of life, considering the biopsychosocial and spiritual impact involved in this process. The aim of this study was to identify the role of spirituality in different stages of cancer treatment. An integrative literature review was carried out, using the DeCS/MeSH platform to select the descriptors, with searches in the PubMed, SciELO, BVS-Saúde and LILACS databases. After applying the inclusion criteria, seven articles were selected which met the proposed objectives. The analysis of the studies provided a comprehensive understanding of the role of spirituality in the context of cancer, highlighting its positive impact on quality of life, adherence to treatment and reduction of physical symptoms. The findings also indicated that spirituality may contributes to re-signifying the experience of illness and death. However, it was observed that health professionals still face difficulties in addressing this issue with patients.