Men diagnosed with prostate cancer are less likely to work six months later as compared to unaffected men, as cancer and its treatment interferes with their ability to work. Even 12 months after being diagnosed with cancer, more than one-quarter of men say that cancer affects how well they can perform physically demanding tasks at work. Researchers from the Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond did not ask men what aspects of their treatment were most disruptive, but noted that men sometimes experience bowel problems and urinary incontinence after prostate cancer treatment. These symptoms might interfere with their ability to work because they could not be far from the bathroom. This might also interfere with their ability to concentrate. According to the team's report nearly 2 million American men have survived prostate cancer. Some organizations now recommend screening for prostate cancer before 65 years of age, suggesting that an increasing number of men may be diagnosed at younger ages. Treatment for prostate cancer can cause a wide range of side effects, including urinary and bowel problems such as diarrhea, pain and cramping. Men who undergo androgen deprivation therapy to reduce levels of testosterone, which drives tumour growth may also experience hot flashes, fatigue, changes in body weight, and sexual problems. To investigate how these side effects affect working, researchers followed 267 men diagnosed with prostate cancer between ages 30 and 65 for 12 months. The researchers found that men with prostate cancer were 10 percent less likely to be working 6 months after their diagnosis than men without prostate cancer. Twenty-six percent of men said that cancer affects how well they perform physical tasks, while up to 16 percent of men said they noticed changes in their ability to concentrate, keep up with others, and learn new things. Nearly 4 out of 10 men with prostate cancer who continued to work said they did so in order to keep their health insurance, suggesting that men may trade-off recovery and work to maintain health insurance. Men were equally as likely to be employed 12 months after their diagnosis as other men without prostate cancer. Still, it would not be surprising if some men found the likely impact on future employment decisive in choosing a treatment.
Annals of Internal Medicine Institute,
July 2005