Psychological and social factors influencing patients' treatment selection for localised prostate cancer

Robles, Luke A.; Chou, Shihning; Cole, Owen J.; Hamid, Akhlil; Griffiths, Amanda; Vedhara, Kavita

Abstract

Chapter 3.

Prostate cancer is the most common form of cancer in men in the United Kingdom (UK). A quarter of all new cases of cancer diagnosed in men are prostate cancers. In 2009, over 40,000 cases of prostate cancer were reported in the UK and more than 10,000 men die from the disease each year [1]. Prostate cancer is also a major concern worldwide. Its highest incidence rates are found in Australia and New Zealand with its lowest in South-Central Asia [2].

The rate of men being diagnosed with prostate cancer has significantly increased worldwide in recent decades [3]. This is likely due to the prostate-specific antigen test being performed among younger men and resulting in the majority of men being diagnosed with localised prostate cancer (LPCa) [4, 5]. These men are usually presented with treatment options, which most commonly include: (1) active surveillance (i. e. , regular monitoring of disease activity for those intended to be treated with subsequent curative treatment), (2) radical prostatectomy, (3) external beam radiation therapy, and (4) brachytherapy, and are asked to consider and select their preferred treatment. The situation that patients with LPCa face is somewhat unique. They have to decide between treatments because there is no substantial evidence to suggest that one treatment modality differs from other treatments, in terms of overall survival rate [6, 7]. However, there are considerable differences in the side-effects associated with each treatment option.

Citation

Robles, L. A., Chou, S., Cole, O. J., Hamid, A., Griffiths, A., & Vedhara, K. (2013). Psychological and social factors influencing patients' treatment selection for localised prostate cancer. In G. Hamilton (Ed.), Advances in prostate cancer. Intech. https://doi.org/10.5772/52641

• Publication Date: Jan 16, 2013
• Deposit Date: Apr 24, 2014
• Publicly Available Date: Apr 24, 2014
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Book Title: Advances in prostate cancer
• ISBN: 9789535109327
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.5772/52641
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/712954
• Publisher URL: http://www.intechopen.com/books/advances-in-prostate-cancer/psychological-and-social-factors-influencing-patients-treatment-selection-for-localised-prostate-can