Impact of prostate cancer and treatment on patients' day-to-day activities
According to a new survey of men living with metastatic prostate cancer, the impact of treatment on patients’ everyday activities is an important factor when talking about treatment options with their doctor, but it is not always discussed. The results highlight a potential need to address this topic in patient/doctor conversations about treatment options for their disease.
Advanced (or metastatic) prostate cancer is prostate cancer that has spread to other parts of the body such as the bones, liver or lungs. The most advanced form of the disease is metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC), which is resistant to medical or surgical treatments that lower testosterone. New therapies for advanced prostate cancer have become available in the last decade, providing men and their healthcare providers more options to help manage their condition. To learn about the impact of advanced prostate cancer and treatment on patients’ day-to-day activities, for Bayer, Ipsos conducted an online survey of 150 men in four countries (United States, China, Japan, and Germany) who are living with the disease.
Of men surveyed, 84% said that talking to their doctor about the impact a treatment could have on their day-to-day activities is important. While 84% of participants also said that potential side effects is a key factor in treatment conversations, only 60% of those respondents receiving medical treatment said it was mentioned during discussions with their doctor. The survey uncovered a gap between what some patients surveyed feel is important to discuss with their doctor about treatments and what they actually discuss.
The survey also revealed that advanced prostate cancer treatment frequently stops some patients from doing day-to-day activities that they consider important, such as working, taking care of/playing with grandchildren or other young family members, exercising and doing housework/chores.
Key results in China
All 35 advanced prostate cancer patients surveyed said it is important to discuss a treatment’s potential impact on day-to-day activities with their doctor.
While all 35 advanced prostate cancer surveyed said potential side effects are an important factor in treatment conversations with their doctor, only 23 said it was part of their discussions with their doctors.
33 out of 35 advanced prostate cancer patients surveyed said taking care of their grandchildren or other young family members was important. Yet 17 of 35 who were receiving or have received prostate cancer treatment said it frequently stopped them from doing so.
33 out of 35 advanced prostate cancer patients surveyed who are currently receiving or have received chemotherapy felt empowered to be actively treating their disease with chemotherapy. Yet, 30 out of 35 wanted to discuss other treatment options first with their doctor.
22 out of 35 advanced prostate cancer patients surveyed reported their healthcare provider has motivated and supported them since their prostate cancer diagnosis.
Working, being a caregiver, and socialising with their friends, family or partner were among the activities advanced prostate cancer patients surveyed consider most important, but it was revealed that their treatment frequently stops some of them from doing these activities.
