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ABSTRACT
To advance research on the sexual effects of prostate cancer in sexual minorities, we conducted telephone interviews with 19 gay and bisexual men (GBM) who had undergone radical prostatectomies. Challenges to sexual functioning included anatomical penile changes, loss of ejaculate, climacturia, and erectile dysfunction. All sexual behavior with other men, not just insertive anal sex, was affected, across all stages of the sexual response cycle. Rather than narrowly focusing on erectile functioning, rehabilitation for GBM needs to be comprehensive in addressing anatomical changes, sexual behavior comprehensively, and functioning across the sexual response cycle. Seven recommendations for practitioner education are identified.
Acknowledgment
This study was conducted with funding from the National Cancer Institute (NCI) (Grant award: 1 R21 CA182041) and the American Cancer Society Institutional Research Grant. The authors gratefully acknowledge Mr Derek Johnson, the project coordinator who conducted the interviews, and Mr James Dewit, the research assistant who developed the online recruitment materials and the tracking protocol.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.
Additional information
Funding
Notes on contributors
B.R. Simon Rosser
B.R. Simon Rosser is a psychologist, epidemiologist, and clinical/research sexologist specializing in GBM's sexual health. His research focuses on studying GBM sexual dysfunction, sex between men, physician-GBM patient communication, mental health, Internet methods, sex measure development, evaluation of sexual health interventions, human subjects and in leading NIH behavioral trials.
Beatrix Capistrant
Beatrix Capistrant is an assistant professor at the University of Minnesota and a member of the Minnesota Population Center. Their research focuses on social determinants of aging and non-communicable diseases, both in the U.S. and in low and middle income countries. They are particularly interested in the interplay between family dynamics and health in old age. They completed their masters and doctoral training in social epidemiology at Harvard University and postdoctoral training in population aging at University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill.
Maria Beatriz Torres
Maria Beatriz Torres is an associate professor of communication studies and was awarded Mexico's National Council of Science and Technology and Fulbright scholarships. She consults and trains health care organizations on effective cross-cultural communication. Her scholarship looks at the intersection between culture and health communication. She is involved in several community-based participatory action research projects developing entertainment education media to promote the health of Latino, Hmong, and Somali immigrants in Minnesota.
Badrinath Konety
Badrinath Konety is a prostate cancer specialist who leads the biomedical and oncological aspects of the study.
Enyinnaya Merengwa
Enyinnaya Merengwa is a physician-scientist and a cancer health disparities epidemiologist at the University of Minnesota. He has earned a Medical Degree (MD), Master of Public Health (MPH) degree in Epidemiology and currently enrolled in a Doctor of Public Health (DrPH) degree program.
Darryl Mitteldorf
Darryl Mitteldorf wrote some of the first clinical articles of GBM with PCa and founded Malecare, the largest organization serving GBM with PCa. A community-based collaborator, he will lead recruitment, attend meetings by Skype, and participate in the write up of results.
William West
William West is an online communications specialist who will design the interactive, online curriculum for GBM with PCa. As an out GBM with PCa, he will also serve as our participants’ advocate.