In a nutshell
The authors determined the psychological effect of hormone therapy (androgen-deprivation therapy) on men with prostate cancer and their partners.
Some background
Hormone therapy is a common treatment used in prostate cancer (PC). It targets the male sex hormones active in prostate cancer, such as testosterone. Testosterone controls many responses in men, including aggression, dominance, the sex drive and emotional reaction. Hormone therapy is associated with a 99% 10-year survival rate. However, further information is needed on the psychological effects of hormone therapy on patients and their partners.
Methods & findings
The aim of this study was to review previous research into the psychological effects of hormone therapy on PC patients and their partners.
The majority of patients who received hormone therapy experienced a decrease in sex drive and erectile functioning. It has been shown that intermittent (higher doses with a longer period of time between doses) therapy results in a higher sex drive compared to men receiving standard hormone therapy. Between 73% and 95% of men experience erectile dysfunction and 58% to 94% experience a decrease in sexual desire.
Due to the influx of hormones and hormone inhibition during treatment, patients can experience an increase in emotional instability. This can cause patients to become tearful, angry, irritable or sensitive. This can have an affect on both patient and partner quality of life. A decrease in testosterone has also been shown to promote depression in patients during and after treatment. A study carried out with a follow-up of 87 months showed that 28% of patients who underwent hormone therapy experienced a psychiatric illness, most commonly depression. This was compared to 8.6% of patients who had a psychiatric illness before treatment.
A recent study has also shown the effect of hormone therapy on mental functioning (such as memory or attention). Between 47% and 69% of patients experienced mental impairment following hormone therapy. Additional studies have shown that hormone therapy can affect balance, visual perception and motor skills.
The partners of patients with prostate cancer can also suffer ill effects following diagnosis and treatment such as stress, impaired sexual relationships, anxiety and depression, as well as a breakdown in communication with their partners.
The bottom line
The authors concluded that hormone therapy can have a negative impact of the quality of life of both patients and their partners.
Published By :
Cancer
Date :
Sep 15, 2015
