Abstract
PurposeWhile the existing knowledge base on the impact of prostate cancer (PC) and its treatment on sexuality and intimacy has been generated from Western populations, there is a lack of such evidence in the Asian context. This study aimed to explore men’s experiences of sex and intimacy after PC treatment in China.MethodsThis study adopted an interpretive descriptive design. Using purposive sampling, 13 PC patients were selected from a urology outpatient unit of a hospital in South China and proceeded with individual semi-structured telephone interviews. Each interview was transcribed verbatim and analyzed using constant comparison analysis.ResultsFour themes emerged from the interview data, including (a) encountering altered sexuality, (b) communication and sexual adjustments, (c) maintenance of quality intimate relationship, and (d) lack of sexual health support.ConclusionsThe findings revealed that PC treatment significantly impaired patients’ sexual functions, and their sexual health needs were mainly unmet by healthcare providers. There is a great need to design culturally relevant interventions to improve sexual health among this population.Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s00520-021-06720-w.
Highlights
Prostate cancer (PC) is the second most common cancer in men, and there were 1.4 million diagnosed cases in 2020 [1]
The literature has extensively documented the impact of PC and its treatment on sexuality, which is narrowly defined as the ability to engage in sexual intercourse
Numerous quantitative studies have determined the prevalence of sexual dysfunction induced by PC treatment, which is manifested in an array of symptoms, including erectile dysfunction (14–90%), loss of libido (18–45%), and penile shortening (19–71%) [9, 10]
Summary
Prostate cancer (PC) is the second most common cancer in men, and there were 1.4 million diagnosed cases in 2020 [1]. PC patients in resource-limited countries usually receive radical prostatectomy and androgen deprivation therapy as primary treatments, depending on their disease stage [2]. Both treatments can result in sexual sequelae, typically erectile dysfunction, which is a persistent survivorship issue up to 15 years post-diagnosis [3, 4]. Some qualitative studies have identified different strategies for adjusting to sexual dysfunction among men, for example, reframing masculinity, trying non-penetrative sexual practices, striving for acceptance of sexual changes, and seeking professional support [12,13,14]
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