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Semi-structured interviews with 13 women were analyzed using interpretative phenomenological analysis, yielding four experiential themes aligned to four experience phases: diagnostic, neoadjuvant chemotherapy, surgical, and post-surgery adjuvant. Findings highlight severe emotional impact at diagnosis, varied anxiety and body-image concerns during neoadjuvant therapy, relief coupled with recurrence worries near treatment end, and the value of targeted 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HER2-positive breast cancer. PLoS One 20(7): e0325080. [https://doi](https://doi). org/10.1371/journal.pone.0325080  \nEditor: Daniele Ugo Tari, Local Health Authority Caserta: Azienda Sanitaria Locale Caserta, ITALY  \nReceived: December 27, 2024  \nAccepted: May 6, 2025  \nPublished: July 10, 2025  \nCopyright: © 2025 Scerri et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.  \nData availability statement: All relevant data are within the paper.  \nFunding: Alive Charity Foundation through the Research, Innovation, Development and Trust fund University of Malta. The funders did not play any role in the study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or  \nRESEARCH ARTICLE  \nEmergence of a new me: Experiences of women diagnosed with HER2-positive breast cancer  \nJosianne Scerri1,2*, Janice Agius1, Michael Galea1  \n1 Department of Mental Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Malta, Msida, Malta, 2 Faculty of Health, Science, Social Care and Education, Kingston University, Surrey, United Kingdom  \n* [josianne.scerri@um.edu.mt](josianne.scerri@um.edu.mt)  \nAbstract  \nBreast cancer subtypes vary in prevalence, prognosis, treatment protocols, and side-effect profiles, that may impact patients’ lived experiences. Despite this, studies often group the experiences of persons with breast cancer together. The aim of this study was to explore the lived experiences of non-metastatic women diagnosed with Herceptin2-positive breast cancer, from diagnosis to the completion of treatment. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 13 women who had undergone treatment for HER2 +breast cancer within the past two years. Their ages ranged between 32–79 years. Data collected were analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis. Four experiential themes emerged: ‘My world came crashing down,’‘The countdown,’‘To do or not to do, that is the question,’ and ‘Nearing the end of my journey.’ These themes correspond to four phases of the participants’ experiences: (i) the diagnostic phase,(ii) the neoadjuvant chemotherapy phase,(iii) the surgical phase, and (iv) the post-surgery adjuvant phase. The diagnosis elicited strong emotional reactions due the particularly aggressive nature of this type of cancer. However, the availability of targeted treatment and having a relatively common subtype of breast cancer provided hope for recovery. Throughout the neoadjuvant phase, participants experienced a range of emotions, including anxiety over missing any treatment, distress about changes in body-image, and concerns for their families. As treatment approached its end, they felt relieved but also anxious about the possibility of a recurrence. Understanding the narratives of women having Herceptin2-positive breast cancer, allows health professionals to better address their unique needs, concerns, and values, leading to the development of personalised care plans that target their lived experiences.  \nIntroduction  \nBreast cancer remains one of the most prevalent cancers worldwide, predominantly affecting women [ 1] . In 2020, over 2.26 million women received a breast cancer  \nPLOS One | [https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0325080](https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0325080) July 10, 2025 1 / 12  \npreparation of the manuscript. Authors JS; MG and CC received the funding.  \nCompeting interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.  \ndiagnosis, constituting approximately 25.8% of all female cancer cases [2] . The heterogenous nature of breast cancer makes its prognosis, treatment, and severity difficult to foresee. Consequently, the classification of breast cancer into various subtypes, based on standar","cbCaifnytqJn0TRa","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaifnytqJn0TRa","pdf",379424,12,"English","# Abstract\n## Introduction","[{\"question\":\"What is the study’s main aim regarding HER2-positive breast cancer?\",\"answer\":\"To explore the lived experiences of non-metastatic women diagnosed with HER2-positive breast cancer from diagnosis to completion of treatment.\"},{\"question\":\"How were the participants and interview data collected and analyzed?\",\"answer\":\"Thirteen women who had received treatment within the past two years participated in semi-structured interviews, and the data were analyzed using interpretative phenomenological analysis.\"},{\"question\":\"What experiential themes and phases were identified?\",\"answer\":\"Four themes emerged—“My world came crashing down,” “The countdown,” “To do or not to do, that is the question,” and “Nearing the end of my journey”—which corresponded to diagnostic, neoadjuvant chemotherapy, surgical, and post-surgery adjuvant phases.\"}]","Emergence of a new me: Experiences of women diagnosed with HER2-positive breast cancer | PDF",1790171808]