Psychosexual health after banking sperm following a cancer diagnosis
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Improving the psychosexual health of men who have banked sperm following a diagnosis of cancer
IRAS ID
209122
Contact name
Channa Jayasena
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Imperial College of London and Imperial College Healthcare NHS - Research Complicance Office
Duration of Study in the UK
5 years, 0 months, 1 days
Research summary
Young men diagnosed with cancer are referred for sperm freezing due to the risks of infertility caused by cancer therapies. Most men with cancer will recover fertility following chemotherapy, but current regulations only require fertility testing 10 years after sperm freezing. Consequently, most men surviving cancer incorrectly assume they remain infertile, because they are not told otherwise. This may interfere with the ability of male cancer survivors to form relationships may negatively impact on quality of life.
Hammersmith Hospital has recently commenced a new service providing a nurse-led fertility surveillance service for male survivors of cancer. We hypothesise this may improve their psychosexual health.
We propose investigating how psychosexual health is influenced by information given to male patients about their own fertility status after cancer therapy. Our study is planned for two parts:
Study 1: All patients who have stored sperm for sperm freezing at Department of Andrology, Hammersmith Hospital for cancer treatment will be sent postal or online validated questionnaires assessing psychosexual health, provided they have already consented to being contacted for research purposes. Patients will not be visiting the study site. It will be specified in the patient information sheet and questionnaire that by filling in the questionnaire is implied that the patient consents to participate in the study. By acquiring this consent from the patient no separate consent will be taken. The questionnaire will be coded without personal identifying information. This will ensure that the contents cannot be linked to the participant by anyone other than the research team.
Study 2: The second part of the study will use face-to-face interviews of 15 patients who are due to undergo NLSFV as part of routine clinical care. The purpose of these interviews will be to develop an in-depth understanding of the patients’ disease timelines, consequences, personal control, treatment control, identity, illness coherence, emotional representations and cause of any perceived infertility. Two interviews will be performed in each patient following informed consent. The first interview will occur before the NLFSV performed as part of routine clinical care. The second interview will occur at least 1 month after the NLFSV performed as part of routine clinical care. The second interview would be targeted towards understanding what exactly has changed following the NLFSV.
It is hoped this work will help to improve the quality of fertility care given to future male survivors of cancer.Lay summary of study results:
When young men are diagnosed with cancer, they often freeze their sperm because cancer treatments can cause infertility. Many men regain their fertility after treatment, but the rules only require fertility testing 10 years after sperm freezing. This can lead to misunderstandings about infertility, which can affect their relationships and overall quality of life. This study looked at how men's sexual and emotional health is affected after they bank sperm following a cancer diagnosis. The goal was to see if knowing their fertility status after treatment made a difference.
Men who had stored sperm at the Department of Andrology, Hammersmith Hospital anonymously completed questionnaires about their sexual function, self-esteem, and relationship satisfaction. 15 men were also interviewed face-to-face to better understand their experiences. The interviews focused on their feelings about infertility, the emotional impact of their cancer diagnosis, and changes after fertility surveillance.Key Findings from Questionnaire:
Questionnaires were sent to 499 cancer survivors, with a response rate of 38.7% (193 men) whose samples had been banked for an average of 9.18 years. Participants age ranged from 21.58 to 54.34 years, with a mean age of 35.08years. One-third (35.8%) of the participants had never attended semen analysis. Men who did not experience adverse treatment side effects, experienced a more negative experience of banking sperm or who had a more negative attitude towards disposal of their stored semen were less likely to attend for semen analysis.
• Improved Awareness: Knowing their fertility status significantly improved the sexual and emotional health of these men. They reported better mental health, higher self-esteem, and improved relationships.
• Positive Impact on Mental Health: Men who received regular updates on their fertility status felt less anxious and depressed about their fertility concerns.
• Enhanced Relationship Satisfaction: Men who knew their fertility status felt more confident and secure in their relationships.
• Service Implementation: The nurse-led fertility surveillance service at Hammersmith Hospital was very effective in supporting these men. Regular fertility checks and clear communication were crucial in addressing their concerns and improving their well-being.Key Findings from Interviews:
• Emotional Well-being: Men felt significantly better emotionally after learning about their fertility status. They were less anxious and more hopeful about their future.
• Self-esteem: Knowing their fertility boosted their self-esteem, making them feel more confident in their relationships.
• Social Relationships: Improved fertility information led to better social relationships, as men felt more comfortable discussing their health and fertility with partners and friends.
• Overall Quality of Life: Regular fertility checks and clear communication greatly enhanced these men's overall quality of life. They felt more in control of their health and plans.
This study highlights how important it is to address fertility concerns and provide clear information to improve the well-being of male cancer survivors.REC name
London - Queen Square Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
17/LO/0004
Date of REC Opinion
14 Feb 2017
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion