The purpose of this study was to explore and describe the process of life adaptation in women with cervical cancer.

A grounded theory method with guided data collection and analysis was used. Fifteen women with cervical cancer who had some kind of treatment at the hospital were asked open-ended and descriptive questions with a guideline. All interviews were tape-recorded and transcribed verbatim.

The core category that emerged from the comparative analysis was "overcoming cancer" named as a process of life adaptation in the participants. The process of overcoming cancer evolved three stages - "admitting reality", "attempting health-care" and "continuing health-care". Depending on the paradigm model, the central phenomena of the experiences was "powerlessness". The internal factors motivating women to overcome cancer were "denial of cancer" and "desire for life". Strategies of overcoming cancer included "living as a cancer patient," "selective food eating," "steady exercising," "getting rid of stress," and "preparing for death". The intervening conditions, "supportive system," "forms of life," and "burden on family, " influenced overcoming cancer.

The results of this study could help clinical nurses to understand life adaptation in cervical cancer patients and establish efficient coping strategies in dealing with the problems they face.