Gay men and prostate cancer
Navigating prostate cancer as a gay man: A journey of resilience, support, and empowerment
In December 2017, I sat hand-in-hand with my husband, waiting to catch if I had prostate cancer. In the exam room together, we joked about how it had all been a big mistake. After all, I was a very healthy, fit 43-year-old.
I don’t remember much after the medic came in and spoke the words out loud for the first occasion. I was overcome with fear, wrath, and confusion. As I sat there, trying to process the bombshell of my prostate cancer diagnosis, a rollercoaster of emotions clap me. I had never imagined that at this stage of my existence I would be confronted with such a daunting challenge.
Leaving the doctor’s office, my husband and I weighed the recommendations and made a clear judgment to have my prostate removed. After preparing for the surgery, spending moment with my family, and giving up control, I underwent a radical prostatectomy. The days obeying the procedure were physically and mentally challenging, struggling to move and battling with side effects. The lack of intimacy with my husband added to my feelings of depression and a sense of betrayal by my weakened body. Keeping it to
Link Between Sexual Orientation and Cancer
While populations are often analyzed by age, sex, and race with respect to cancer risk and cancer outcomes, sexual orientation has previously not been studied as a factor for either cancer incidence or cancer outcome. A study published in the journal Cancer on May 9, 2011 has now specifically examined the cancer survivorship of the homosexual, lesbian, and double attraction population (DOI: 10.1002/cncr.25950). The study authors found that cancer outcomes differ based on sexual orientation.
While there is a dearth of numbers on cancer survivorship among gay/lesbian/bisexual populations, it has been suggested that these populations generally participate in behaviors that are associated with greater cancer chance. These risk factors include a higher incidence of obesity and alcohol consumption among the womxn loving womxn population and a higher rate of smoking among male lover men, lesbians, and bisexuals. Furthermore, recent studies have shown that same-sex sexual contact is linked to a higher incidence of leader and neck and anal cancers. However, the question of cancer survivorship with respect to sexual orientation has not been well-studied, since most cancer surveillance stud
Support for the LGBTQIA+ Community with Prostate Cancer
Although prostate cancer is often described as a male cancer (including on this website), the reality is that anyone who was born with a prostate can develop prostate cancer. We’re still learning about the impact that transitional hormones and gender-confirming surgery can have on the risk of prostate cancer. If you have a physician you trust, that is the best person to talk to about your specific risk. Prostate Cancer Canada also has a very detailed and well-cited page about the effects of gender-confirming surgery and transitional hormones on prostate cancer risk, screening, and diagnosis for trans women.
It can be emotionally difficult to possess a male-associated cancer as someone who does not identify as male, especially since most prostate cancer support groups and resources are targeted at men. Regard building a support network of friends, family, or counselors with whom you feel comfortable discussing your prostate cancer diagnosis. MaleCare can also connect you with social workers who can aid you. Additionally, Prostate Cancer UK is trialing an online sustain group for trans women.
Although we often use male terms
Capistrant Finds Gay Prostate Cancer Patients Have Unique Social Support Networks and Needs
In the United States, an alarming 1-in-7 men will develop prostate cancer. Although gay men are not at higher risk for prostate cancer than heterosexual men, if they are in a relationship, both men may have the disease. And research shows gay men appear to suffer poorer outcomes from prostate cancer compared to heterosexual patients.
A key factor in how well all prostate cancer patients recover from the disease is their access to social support. Assistant Professor Benjamin Capistrant recently looked at the social support lgbtq+ and bisexual prostate cancer patients have or deserve and discovered that it can differ greatly from heterosexual men.
Capistrant’s study was recently published in the journal Psycho-Oncology.
According to the study, when gay men only had access to standard, mainstream support services focusing on the sexual concerns and issues ordinary to heterosexual men, those services failed to provide them with information they felt they needed for critical conversations.
In contrast, patients who were part of gay-specific groups not only felt they received improved emotion