Paper
Saturday, 22 July 2006
This presentation is part of : Men's Health Issues
Nursing Support for Men Making Treatment Decisions for Prostate Cancer
Sheila Cameron, RN, EdD, Faculty of Nursing, University of Windsor, Windsor, ON, Canada and Colvin Springer, MD, Radiation Oncology, WRCC, Windsor, ON, Canada.
Learning Objective #1: understand the challenges faced by men with Prostate cancer
Learning Objective #2: provide appropriate information to men who are faced with treatment choices for prostate cancer
Prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed male malignancy. Despite being considered a slow growing cancer it remains a leading cause of cancer death in males.Many advances in early diagnosis and increasing treatment options are now available. Technological advances have increased the treatment options that now range from surgical removal, radiation, hormone therapy to brachytherapy as well as many combinations of the above. This of course increases the complexity of decision-making at a stressful point in life for those diagnosed with prostate tumours.

The purpose of this investigation was to examine what was helpful to men , and their families as they made decisions about treatment and reviewed the treatment options that were available to them. We initially interviewed men following their diagnosis as they started on their selected course of treatment.

Data collection included demographic information such as age, marital status, type of cancer as well as PSA scores. We also explored the symptoms men were experiencing especially as they related to Bowel/ Bladder and Sexual function and discussed the types of treatment offered and what was helpful to the men in making treatment decisions.

Men ranged in age between 51 and 85 years and the mean age was 68 years of age. Over 74% of the sample were married. We also explored who provided the most helpful information to the men and their families and what written and internet sites were helpful to them as they made decisions. General health and Quality of life, Work status, and Symptomatology being experienced were all factors considered by the men as they made their treatment decisions. It was readily apparent that cancer centre physicians and nurses were important and valued sources of information and we will discuss specific supports that can be provided by nurses to this population.

See more of Men's Health Issues
See more of The 17th International Nursing Research Congress Focusing on Evidence-Based Practice (19-22 July 2006)