Men’s experiences of radiotherapy treatment for localized prostate cancer and its long-term treatment side effects: a longitudinal qualitative study

E. Sutton; J. A. Lane; M. Davis; E. I. Walsh; D. E. Neal; F. C. Hamdy; M. Mason; J. Staffurth; R. M. Martin; C. Metcalfe; T. J. Peters; J. L. Donovan; J. Wade; ProtecT Study Group

doi:10.1007/s10552-020-01380-3

Men’s experiences of radiotherapy treatment for localized prostate cancer and its long-term treatment side effects: a longitudinal qualitative study

E. Sutton, J. A. Lane, M. Davis, E. I. Walsh, D. E. Neal, F. C. Hamdy, M. Mason, J. Staffurth, R. M. Martin, C. Metcalfe, T. J. Peters, J. L. Donovan, J. Wade^*, ProtecT Study Group

^*Corresponding author for this work

Macquarie University Hospital

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

10 Citations (Scopus)

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Abstract

Purpose: To investigate men’s experiences of receiving external-beam radiotherapy (EBRT) with neoadjuvant Androgen Deprivation Therapy (ADT) for localized prostate cancer (LPCa) in the ProtecT trial. Methods: A longitudinal qualitative interview study was embedded in the ProtecT RCT. Sixteen men with clinically LPCa who underwent EBRT in ProtecT were purposively sampled to include a range of socio-demographic and clinical characteristics. They participated in serial in-depth qualitative interviews for up to 8 years post-treatment, exploring experiences of treatment and its side effects over time. Results: Men experienced bowel, sexual, and urinary side effects, mostly in the short term but some persisted and were bothersome. Most men downplayed the impacts, voicing expectations of age-related decline, and normalizing these changes. There was some reticence to seek help, with men prioritizing their relationships and overall health and well-being over returning to pretreatment levels of function. Some unmet needs with regard to information about treatment schedules and side effects were reported, particularly among men with continuing functional symptoms. Conclusions: These findings reinforce the importance of providing universal clear, concise, and timely information and supportive resources in the short term, and more targeted and detailed information and care in the longer term to maintain and improve treatment experiences for men undergoing EBRT.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	261-269
Number of pages	9
Journal	Cancer Causes and Control
Volume	32
Issue number	3
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/s10552-020-01380-3
Publication status	Published - Mar 2021

Bibliographical note

Copyright the Author(s) 2021. Version archived for private and non-commercial use with the permission of the author/s and according to publisher conditions. For further rights please contact the publisher.

Keywords

External-beam radiotherapy
Prostate cancer
Qualitative research
Radiotherapy
Treatment experiences
Treatment side effects

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10.1007/s10552-020-01380-3Licence: CC BY

Publisher version (open access)Final published version, 591 KBLicence: CC BY

Cite this

Sutton, E., Lane, J. A., Davis, M., Walsh, E. I., Neal, D. E., Hamdy, F. C., Mason, M., Staffurth, J., Martin, R. M., Metcalfe, C., Peters, T. J., Donovan, J. L., Wade, J., & ProtecT Study Group (2021). Men’s experiences of radiotherapy treatment for localized prostate cancer and its long-term treatment side effects: a longitudinal qualitative study. Cancer Causes and Control, 32(3), 261-269. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10552-020-01380-3

@article{287f280c9e124755ad4d2a7525d3570d,

title = "Men{\textquoteright}s experiences of radiotherapy treatment for localized prostate cancer and its long-term treatment side effects: a longitudinal qualitative study",

abstract = "Purpose: To investigate men{\textquoteright}s experiences of receiving external-beam radiotherapy (EBRT) with neoadjuvant Androgen Deprivation Therapy (ADT) for localized prostate cancer (LPCa) in the ProtecT trial. Methods: A longitudinal qualitative interview study was embedded in the ProtecT RCT. Sixteen men with clinically LPCa who underwent EBRT in ProtecT were purposively sampled to include a range of socio-demographic and clinical characteristics. They participated in serial in-depth qualitative interviews for up to 8 years post-treatment, exploring experiences of treatment and its side effects over time. Results: Men experienced bowel, sexual, and urinary side effects, mostly in the short term but some persisted and were bothersome. Most men downplayed the impacts, voicing expectations of age-related decline, and normalizing these changes. There was some reticence to seek help, with men prioritizing their relationships and overall health and well-being over returning to pretreatment levels of function. Some unmet needs with regard to information about treatment schedules and side effects were reported, particularly among men with continuing functional symptoms. Conclusions: These findings reinforce the importance of providing universal clear, concise, and timely information and supportive resources in the short term, and more targeted and detailed information and care in the longer term to maintain and improve treatment experiences for men undergoing EBRT.",

keywords = "External-beam radiotherapy, Prostate cancer, Qualitative research, Radiotherapy, Treatment experiences, Treatment side effects",

author = "E. Sutton and Lane, {J. A.} and M. Davis and Walsh, {E. I.} and Neal, {D. E.} and Hamdy, {F. C.} and M. Mason and J. Staffurth and Martin, {R. M.} and C. Metcalfe and Peters, {T. J.} and Donovan, {J. L.} and J. Wade and {ProtecT Study Group} and P. Holding and Catto, {J. W. F.} and Rosario, {D. J.} and H. Kynaston and O. Hughes and P. Bollina and A. Doherty and V. Gnanapragasam and R. Kockelbergh and A. Paul and E. Paez and D. Gillatt and E. Rowe and J. Oxley",

note = "Copyright the Author(s) 2021. Version archived for private and non-commercial use with the permission of the author/s and according to publisher conditions. For further rights please contact the publisher.",

year = "2021",

month = mar,

doi = "10.1007/s10552-020-01380-3",

language = "English",

volume = "32",

pages = "261--269",

journal = "Cancer Causes and Control",

issn = "0957-5243",

publisher = "Springer, Springer Nature",

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Sutton, E, Lane, JA, Davis, M, Walsh, EI, Neal, DE, Hamdy, FC, Mason, M, Staffurth, J, Martin, RM, Metcalfe, C, Peters, TJ, Donovan, JL, Wade, J & ProtecT Study Group 2021, 'Men’s experiences of radiotherapy treatment for localized prostate cancer and its long-term treatment side effects: a longitudinal qualitative study', Cancer Causes and Control, vol. 32, no. 3, pp. 261-269. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10552-020-01380-3

TY - JOUR

T1 - Men’s experiences of radiotherapy treatment for localized prostate cancer and its long-term treatment side effects

T2 - a longitudinal qualitative study

AU - Sutton, E.

AU - Lane, J. A.

AU - Davis, M.

AU - Walsh, E. I.

AU - Neal, D. E.

AU - Hamdy, F. C.

AU - Mason, M.

AU - Staffurth, J.

AU - Martin, R. M.

AU - Metcalfe, C.

AU - Peters, T. J.

AU - Donovan, J. L.

AU - Wade, J.

AU - ProtecT Study Group

AU - Holding, P.

AU - Catto, J. W. F.

AU - Rosario, D. J.

AU - Kynaston, H.

AU - Hughes, O.

AU - Bollina, P.

AU - Doherty, A.

AU - Gnanapragasam, V.

AU - Kockelbergh, R.

AU - Paul, A.

AU - Paez, E.

AU - Gillatt, D.

AU - Rowe, E.

AU - Oxley, J.

N1 - Copyright the Author(s) 2021. Version archived for private and non-commercial use with the permission of the author/s and according to publisher conditions. For further rights please contact the publisher.

PY - 2021/3

Y1 - 2021/3

N2 - Purpose: To investigate men’s experiences of receiving external-beam radiotherapy (EBRT) with neoadjuvant Androgen Deprivation Therapy (ADT) for localized prostate cancer (LPCa) in the ProtecT trial. Methods: A longitudinal qualitative interview study was embedded in the ProtecT RCT. Sixteen men with clinically LPCa who underwent EBRT in ProtecT were purposively sampled to include a range of socio-demographic and clinical characteristics. They participated in serial in-depth qualitative interviews for up to 8 years post-treatment, exploring experiences of treatment and its side effects over time. Results: Men experienced bowel, sexual, and urinary side effects, mostly in the short term but some persisted and were bothersome. Most men downplayed the impacts, voicing expectations of age-related decline, and normalizing these changes. There was some reticence to seek help, with men prioritizing their relationships and overall health and well-being over returning to pretreatment levels of function. Some unmet needs with regard to information about treatment schedules and side effects were reported, particularly among men with continuing functional symptoms. Conclusions: These findings reinforce the importance of providing universal clear, concise, and timely information and supportive resources in the short term, and more targeted and detailed information and care in the longer term to maintain and improve treatment experiences for men undergoing EBRT.

AB - Purpose: To investigate men’s experiences of receiving external-beam radiotherapy (EBRT) with neoadjuvant Androgen Deprivation Therapy (ADT) for localized prostate cancer (LPCa) in the ProtecT trial. Methods: A longitudinal qualitative interview study was embedded in the ProtecT RCT. Sixteen men with clinically LPCa who underwent EBRT in ProtecT were purposively sampled to include a range of socio-demographic and clinical characteristics. They participated in serial in-depth qualitative interviews for up to 8 years post-treatment, exploring experiences of treatment and its side effects over time. Results: Men experienced bowel, sexual, and urinary side effects, mostly in the short term but some persisted and were bothersome. Most men downplayed the impacts, voicing expectations of age-related decline, and normalizing these changes. There was some reticence to seek help, with men prioritizing their relationships and overall health and well-being over returning to pretreatment levels of function. Some unmet needs with regard to information about treatment schedules and side effects were reported, particularly among men with continuing functional symptoms. Conclusions: These findings reinforce the importance of providing universal clear, concise, and timely information and supportive resources in the short term, and more targeted and detailed information and care in the longer term to maintain and improve treatment experiences for men undergoing EBRT.

KW - External-beam radiotherapy

KW - Prostate cancer

KW - Qualitative research

KW - Radiotherapy

KW - Treatment experiences

KW - Treatment side effects

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U2 - 10.1007/s10552-020-01380-3

DO - 10.1007/s10552-020-01380-3

M3 - Article

C2 - 33394204

AN - SCOPUS:85102089049

SN - 0957-5243

VL - 32

SP - 261

EP - 269

JO - Cancer Causes and Control

JF - Cancer Causes and Control

IS - 3

ER -

Men’s experiences of radiotherapy treatment for localized prostate cancer and its long-term treatment side effects: a longitudinal qualitative study

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