Purpose: The prostate cancer impacts on the future life of survivors. The complexity of sexual health problems in prostate cancer survivors is underestimated or often reduced to the erectile dysfunction. Especially, factors influencing sexual desire of patients have to be more explored. This study aims to describe the therapeutic management of patients with prostate cancer and assess their sexual desire 2 years after diagnosis.
Methods: This study is part of the National VICAN survey (Vie après le CANcer) implemented in France in 2012. This analysis was performed on a population of 414 men who had prostate cancer. The questionnaire dealt with several topics including socioeconomic status, treatments received, and sexual desire.
Results: Prostatectomy (42.8%), radiotherapy + hormonotherapy (17.6%), and radiotherapy alone (12.8%) were the main treatments used. 41.3% of men stated that their sexual desire was all gone since disease. The "satisfying" perceived financial situation was significantly associated to a sexual desire loss (p = 0.008). Radiotherapy + hormonotherapy treatment only is significantly associated with a loss of sexual desire (P = 0.003).
Conclusions: Two years after diagnosis, the sexual desire of prostate cancer survivors is deteriorated with the cancer experience. However, clinical characteristics do not seem to be decisive unlike a "satisfying" financial situation. Research about the impact of socio economics characteristics on sexual health should probably be engaged. Programs have to be developed in France to have personalized sexual support progressed for survivors and take spouses into consideration in this context.
Keywords: Cancer; Desire; Prostate; Quality of life; Sexuality; Survivors.