Understanding the eating and dietary experiences of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) survivors: A photovoice-informed qualitative study.

PURPOSE: Eating difficulties following nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) treatment can persist into survivorship and reshape everyday dietary practices, family relationships, and social participation. Although previous studies have documented treatment-related symptoms, less is known about how survivors actively manage eating within their everyday lives. This study aimed to explore how NPC survivors experienced and negotiated changes in eating and diet after treatment.

METHODS

A photovoice-informed qualitative design was used. Fourteen adult NPC survivors who had completed primary anticancer treatment were recruited through purposive sampling. Participants photographed eating- and diet-related situations in their daily lives over seven consecutive days, followed by individual photo-elicitation interviews. A total of 202 photographs were included in the analysis. Photographs and accompanying narratives were analyzed using thematic analysis.

RESULTS

Three themes described survivors' post-treatment eating experiences: (1) relearning eating with a changed body, as swallowing difficulties, xerostomia, altered taste, and digestive discomfort required new eating routines; (2) negotiating dietary knowledge and food choices, as survivors navigated biomedical advice, traditional Chinese medicine, folk beliefs, and peer experiences; and (3) managing eating across family and social contexts, where care, dietary autonomy, family responsibilities, and social participation were continually negotiated.

CONCLUSIONS

Post-treatment eating among NPC survivors extends beyond nutritional intake to involve bodily adaptation, dietary decision-making, and relational negotiation. Survivorship care should integrate symptom assessment, swallowing and dietetic support, culturally sensitive dietary counseling, family communication, and practical support for social eating to help survivors rebuild workable everyday eating practices.