Advancing Prostate Cancer Survivorship Research in Australia

Abstract

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer affecting Australian men, with 1 in 7 males diagnosed before the age of 75 years and most now surviving long-term in the absence of adequate and accessible supportive care for their wellbeing. A substantive proportion of men with prostate cancer experience heightened psychological distress and ongoing unmet needs for supportive care in the domains of sexuality and psychosocial care. This perspective focuses on: men’s psychosocial and psychosexual needs; the role of exercise in survivorship care; health economics; and geographic and sociodemographic disparities in outcomes. It is proposed that prostate cancer survivorship research, translation and education needs to articulate with key factors that influence the acceptability and uptake of services. Stepped care approaches are also needed to meet the challenges of increasing prostate cancer prevalence taking into account constraints in health care resources and unique barriers to care such as geographic location, health literacy, and other aspects of social disadvantage. Finally, close linkage to to community with the patient and family placed at the centre of the care model will be crucial.