BACKGROUND: Androgen deficiency is increasingly recognized in young male cancer survivors; however, its impact on quality of life (QOL) is not established. The authors investigated the relationship between androgen levels, QOL, self-esteem, fatigue, and sexual function in young male cancer survivors compared with control subjects. METHODS: A cross-sectional, observational study of 176 male cancer survivors and 213 male controls aged 25 to 45 years was performed. Subjects completed 3 QOL scales (Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey version 2, the 12-item General Health Questionnaire [GHQ-12], and Aging Male Scale), and measures of self-esteem (Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale), fatigue (Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Fatigue), and sexual function (Derogatis Interview for Sexual Functioning-II Self-Report-Male). RESULTS: Cancer survivors had lower scores for all components of the Short-Form Health Survey, Aging Male Scale, and Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Fatigue, and for 4 of 5 subsections of the Derogatis Interview for Sexual Functioning than controls. The majority of these differences remained after adjusting by linear regression analysis. Levels of psychiatric disorder or self-esteem did not differ between the 2 groups. In cancer survivors, those with androgen deficiency (serum testosterone < or = 10 nmol/L) had lower scores than those without for all components of the Short-Form Health Survey, the General Health Questionnaire, Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Fatigue, and the Derogatis Interview for Sexual Functioning. Serum testosterone only weakly correlated with health measures. CONCLUSIONS: Young male cancer survivors self-report a marked impairment in QOL, energy levels, and quality of sexual functioning, and this was exacerbated in those with androgen deficiency. However, psychological distress was not elevated, self-esteem was normal, and sexual relationships were not impaired. The relationship with testosterone is complex, and appears dependent on a threshold level rather than direct correlation. Interventional trials are needed to determine whether testosterone replacement would improve QOL in young male cancer survivors.
BACKGROUND:Androgen deficiency is increasingly recognized in young male cancer survivors; however, its impact on quality of life (QOL) is not established. The authors investigated the relationship between androgen levels, QOL, self-esteem, fatigue, and sexual function in young male cancer survivors compared with control subjects. METHODS: A cross-sectional, observational study of 176 male cancer survivors and 213 male controls aged 25 to 45 years was performed. Subjects completed 3 QOL scales (Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey version 2, the 12-item General Health Questionnaire [GHQ-12], and Aging Male Scale), and measures of self-esteem (Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale), fatigue (Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Fatigue), and sexual function (Derogatis Interview for Sexual Functioning-II Self-Report-Male). RESULTS:Cancer survivors had lower scores for all components of the Short-Form Health Survey, Aging Male Scale, and Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Fatigue, and for 4 of 5 subsections of the Derogatis Interview for Sexual Functioning than controls. The majority of these differences remained after adjusting by linear regression analysis. Levels of psychiatric disorder or self-esteem did not differ between the 2 groups. In cancer survivors, those with androgen deficiency (serum testosterone < or = 10 nmol/L) had lower scores than those without for all components of the Short-Form Health Survey, the General Health Questionnaire, Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Fatigue, and the Derogatis Interview for Sexual Functioning. Serum testosterone only weakly correlated with health measures. CONCLUSIONS: Young male cancer survivors self-report a marked impairment in QOL, energy levels, and quality of sexual functioning, and this was exacerbated in those with androgen deficiency. However, psychological distress was not elevated, self-esteem was normal, and sexual relationships were not impaired. The relationship with testosterone is complex, and appears dependent on a threshold level rather than direct correlation. Interventional trials are needed to determine whether testosterone replacement would improve QOL in young male cancer survivors.
Authors: Peter J Snyder; Susan S Ellenberg; Glenn R Cunningham; Alvin M Matsumoto; Shalender Bhasin; Elizabeth Barrett-Connor; Thomas M Gill; John T Farrar; David Cella; Raymond C Rosen; Susan M Resnick; Ronald S Swerdloff; Jane A Cauley; Denise Cifelli; Laura Fluharty; Marco Pahor; Kristine E Ensrud; Cora E Lewis; Mark E Molitch; Jill P Crandall; Christina Wang; Matthew J Budoff; Nanette K Wenger; Emile R Mohler; Diane E Bild; Nakela L Cook; Tony M Keaveny; David L Kopperdahl; David Lee; Ann V Schwartz; Thomas W Storer; William B Ershler; Cindy N Roy; Leslie J Raffel; Sergei Romashkan; Evan Hadley Journal: Clin Trials Date: 2014-06 Impact factor: 2.486
Authors: Brian D Gonzalez; Heather S L Jim; Julie M Cessna; Brent J Small; Steven K Sutton; Paul B Jacobsen Journal: Psychooncology Date: 2015-03-09 Impact factor: 3.894
Authors: D M Greenfield; E Boland; Y Ezaydi; R J M Ross; S H Ahmedzai; J A Snowden Journal: Bone Marrow Transplant Date: 2014-04-07 Impact factor: 5.483
Authors: Kristina Geue; Annekathrin Sender; Ricarda Schmidt; Diana Richter; Andreas Hinz; Thomas Schulte; Elmar Brähler; Yve Stöbel-Richter Journal: Qual Life Res Date: 2013-11-07 Impact factor: 4.147
Authors: K Behringer; H Müller; H Görgen; H-H Flechtner; C Brillant; T V Halbsguth; I Thielen; D A Eichenauer; T Schober; H Nisters-Backes; M Fuchs; A Engert; P Borchmann Journal: Br J Cancer Date: 2013-01-15 Impact factor: 7.640