By Katrina Burton, MD Anderson Staff Writer
A prostate cancer
diagnosis has the ability to strike fear in the hearts of many men. The
fear is a normal reaction as men diagnosed with the disease consider
the potential side effects from treatment and how it may affect their sexual relationships.
Depression,
negative body image and performance anxiety are some of the symptoms
prostate cancer survivors face that can lead to a lack of intimacy and,
ultimately, to sexual dysfunction.
The ability to have a
satisfying sexual experience after treatment may vary, depending on the
patient and treatment dynamics. The reality is that men are not the
only ones affected by the diagnosis and treatment of prostate cancer.
Positive future
Leslie Schover, Ph.D.
a behavioral scientist at MD Anderson, was lead investigator on the
CAREss (Counseling About Regaining Erections and Sexual Satisfaction)
trial that focused on determining whether couples counseling after
prostate cancer treatment had a positive effect on sexual outcomes.
The trial randomized 115 heterosexual couples into three groups:
- An Internet-based sexual counseling group
- A face-to-face counseling group
- A wait list group that received delayed counseling
Findings from the trial, published in the Sept. 26 issue of the journal Cancer, revealed that Internet-based counseling programs and standard face-to-face therapy sessions for couples improved the sex lives of prostate cancer survivors as well as their spouses.
"This is promising, as it lends us opportunities to develop web-based content and programs that will be beneficial to survivors with limited resources and limited ability to travel to face-to-face counseling sessions," Schover says.
Another positive result of the trial was the significant improvement in both partners' sexual function, even at one-year follow-up.
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