Sexual Function In The Prostate Cancer Patient PDF Download

The American Cancer Society estimated 161,360 new cases of prostate cancer diagnosed in the United States, with an estimated 26,730 deaths in 2017. Furthermore, one in seven men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer during his lifetime and one in 38 men will die from it. It is the second most common cancer in American men after skin cancer, and the second leading cause of cancer death in American men after lung cancer. Sexual dysfunction affects 33-98% of men diagnosed with prostate cancer. Sexual dysfunction in a cancer patient is multidimensional and results from biological, psychological, and social factors. Prostate cancer, along with the sexual problems it brings, can greatly impact important aspects of a man's intrapersonal and interpersonal functioning. In addition to the biological understanding of sexual dysfunction, a psychological and social understanding of its implications is crucial in order to approach prostate cancer treatment in a holistic manner. The purpose of this literature review was to provide a comprehensive understanding of those factors that impact a man's intrapersonal and interpersonal sexual functioning when faced with prostate cancer. This review will also highlight some helpful treatment options to address sexual functioning for men with prostate cancer and/or their partners. Lastly, the literature review will review the limitations of the current research in order to suggest directions for future research. Databases used for this literature review included PsychINFO, PsychARTICLES, PubMed, ERIC, and MEDLINE, using keywords "prostate cancer, sexual functioning, intrapersonal factors; interpersonal factors; sexual side effects of treatment; sexual dysfunction; masculinity; sexual intimacy; treatment outcome. Sixty articles were deemed to address the purposes of this review and therefore were included in the Results section. Individual psychological factors that may contribute to the onset and maintenance of sexual difficulties include depression, general anxiety, sexual performance anxiety, and negative and maladaptive cognitive processing. The main intrapersonal concerns related to sexual functioning are self-image, self-esteem, masculinity, and one's own psychological functioning. Men are likely to worry about the impact of sexual dysfunction on their relationship and the effect that it may have on their partner. The interpersonal factors that have been shown to be associated with sexual difficulties in men are intimacy, relationship satisfaction, and relationship conflict.