Abstract B051: A qualitative exploration of prostate cancer treatment and survivorship advice from employed prostate cancer survivors
Authors: Owens Otis L. , Sandberg Joanne , Mayfield Andy , Dressler Emily , Foust Melyssa 
Published: January 2023

Introduction: Prostate cancer is the most common and second most deadly non-skin cancer among American men. Prostate cancer outcomes are especially detrimental for African-American men. While prostate cancer treatment can prolong life, it can also produce debilitating results that can impact men’s ability to perform some jobs/work-related tasks, cause decisional regret, and affect their overall quality of life. Objective: To improve prostate cancer treatment decision-making and survivorship experiences of actively employed prostate cancer survivors, we asked survivors with jobs to provide advice for men facing prostate cancer treatment and their families/friends, employers/co-workers, and healthcare providers. Methods: African-American and White prostate cancer survivors were recruited primarily from support groups and two southeastern cancer centers: Inclusion criteria included having (1) had a prostatectomy or radiation therapy less than 36 months ago, (2) worked for pay within one month prior to treatment, and (3) expected at time of treatment initiation to be working 6 months later. Survivors were engaged in 60-to-90-minute in-depth interviews. Interview transcripts were analyzed using a content analysis approach to ascertain prominent themes within and between races. Results: Forty-five prostate cancer survivors (44% black and 55% white) had a mean age of 61. Over half of men from either racial group had a bachelor’s degree. Approximately 63% and 47% from both racial groups had undergone a prostatectomy or radiation therapy, respectively. Prominent themes related to advice for prostate cancer survivors included the importance of: conducting thorough research on treatment options and gaining awareness of the treatment side effects; identifying survivors or survivor support groups; and informing family, employers, and others about support needs. Advice for family and friends emphasized the significance of providing instrumental and emotional support to survivors. Employer and co-worker advice most often related to providing work-related accommodations/support (e.g., additional time or adapted work tasks) and avoiding stigmatizing treatment of the survivor. Most advice for healthcare providers focused on presenting survivors with honest, thorough, and plain-language communication about treatment options and side effects. No major differences existed in themes by race. Conclusion: Overarching needs of employed prostate cancer survivors commonly relate to the need for detailed information about their treatment process and their desire for social support from family/friends, employers/co-workers, and healthcare providers. The most vital concern for survivors is understanding how, and to what extent, side effects can affect them personally and professionally. Future research should determine what strategies might be effective for preparing these stakeholder groups to support employed prostate cancer survivors.

Citation Format: Otis L. Owens, Joanne Sandberg, Andy Mayfield, Emily Dressler, Melyssa Foust. A qualitative exploration of prostate cancer treatment and survivorship advice from employed prostate cancer survivors [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 15th AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2022 Sep 16-19; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2022;31(1 Suppl):Abstract nr B051.