Coping with appearance changes in prostate cancer patients on ADT
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Investigating coping strategies associated with positive body image outcomes in men diagnosed with Prostate Cancer undergoing Androgen Deprivation Therapy (ADT). \n
IRAS ID
276095
Contact name
Diana Harcourt
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of the West of England, Faculty of Health and Applied Sciences
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
N/A, N/A
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 2 months, 30 days
Research summary
Androgen Deprivation Therapy (ADT) is one of the primary treatments for prostate cancer (PCa). The ADT-induced castration state interrupts testosterone supplies to PCa cells and prevents tumour growth. However, testosterone suppression can have an impact on body appearance and functioning (e.g., weight gain, breast\nenlargement, penile and testicular shrinkage, impotence, incontinence, etc.).\nThe bodily changes provoked by ADT can elicit negative body image (i.e., the negative subjective evaluation of one’s physical appearance and functioning). Only a limited amount of research has investigated appearance issues in PCa patients undergoing ADT, obtaining mixed results and suggesting that while the ADT-induced bodily changes could foster feelings of negative body image in some men, this might be not true for the majority of patients. Future research should therefore investigate which factors seem to promote resilience against body image issues in some PCa patients undergoing ADT and not in others. The present study aims to explore which coping mechanisms are associated with better body image outcomes in PCa undergoing ADT. This would offer more knowledge on patients’ psychological resilience against body image issues, and shed light on potential strategies to help those patients who do suffer body image related issues. To do so, we will administer a questionnaire assessing coping strategies and body image outcomes to a group of PCa patients undergoing ADT.
REC name
Yorkshire & The Humber - Leeds East Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
20/YH/0065
Date of REC Opinion
27 Feb 2020
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion