Couples Fight Prostate Cancer Together
The physical effects of prostate cancer may strike only men, but research shows that the emotional impact of the disease can be even greater for their wives. That doesn't stop wives from playing a key role in their husband's prostate cancer care - approximately one in four men say their treatment decision was made either solely by their wife/partner or equally with them, according to a national survey by Roper Starch Worldwide.
The Roper Starch survey also found that men aren't communicating as well as they should with their physicians. Twenty-two percent of prostate cancer patients do not feel they received a thorough explanation of test results and a quarter (25%) do not feel all their questions were answered when their doctor confirmed that they had prostate cancer.
This communication gap makes the role of the spouse, who traditionally is the primary seeker of healthcare information and the healthcare decision-maker for the household, even more important.
Quality of Life Issues
In addition, unlike many diseases, prostate cancer often involves the spouse in very direct and intimate ways. Some treatment side effects, such as impotence or incontinence, can impact a man's sense of self-worth and control over his life, causing him to withdraw, and can affect his physical and emotional relationship with his spouse. So it is important for both the patient and his spouse to understand the treatment options in order to select the most appropriate therapy.
The Roper Starch survey confirms wives of men age 50 and older say that their husbands would have difficulty talking with a doctor about matters involved in prostate cancer diagnosis and treatment, such as sensitive side effects.
Wives Need Support Too
Supporting patients through their wives is critical, as men also do not appear to take advantage of prostate cancer support groups. Nearly 40 percent of urologists say they encourage patients to attend support groups, but only 12 percent of patients say they attend, according to the survey.
Prostate Cancer Not a Concern to Those At-Risk
Despite its prevalence, men age 50 and older and women who are married to men in this age group say the disease is not a prime concern, according to the survey. Less than one in five men named prostate cancer as the disease they worry about most and less than one in five women cited prostate cancer as a disease their husband should be concerned about.
Prostate cancer is the most common cancer (excluding skin cancer) and the second leading cause of cancer death in men. More than 180,000 new cases of prostate cancer will be diagnosed in the United States this year and nearly 32,000 men will die of the disease.
Current treatments range from removal of the prostate (radical prostatectomy) to radiation to hormonal drugs that lower levels of testosterone, which acts as a "fuel" for tumor growth.
Read more about the latest treatments.
