Table 6 Hormone therapy (HT) and psychological adjustment
From: Psychological adjustment of men with prostate cancer: a review of the literature
Study | Design | Characteristics of the sample | Major Findings |
|---|---|---|---|
Herr et al. (2000) | • Comparison of men treated with HT and men who defer such HT over 12 months • EORTC – Prostate | • 144 patients with locally advanced PCA or PSA – relapse after surgery or radiotherapy | • Men on HT had significantly more fatigue, anergia and emotional distress then men who deferred HT |
Herr et al. (1993) | • Men choosing or postponing HT followed up for 6 months • EORTC – Prostate | • 35 patients with metastatic PCA | • Men on HT had more fatigue, psychological distress and sexual difficulties than those not on HT |
da Silva et al. (1996) | • QOL (constructed by authors) examined in men on HT followed up for 12 months, rated by both patients and their physicians | • 63 patients with newly diagnosed PCA | • Poor correlation between the 2 sets of ratings • Fatigue, and emotional and social functioning, did not improve with HT |
Green (2002) | • Study of QOL in PCA patient and control subjects over 6 months • Measures included EORTC and COPE Coping Scale | • 65 patients with non-localised PCA randomized to one of 3 forms of HT • 16 controls | • Emotional distress, self-efficacy and coping at baseline similar in treated and control groups • HT patients worse or better in various domains of QOL suggesting complex links • Overall, groups did not differ over time in psychological functioning |
Stone et al. (2000) | • Sample followed up for 3 months after HT with focus on fatigue • Measures included EORTC, Hospital Depression and Anxiety Scale and 2 fatigue scales | • 58 patients, convenience sample, most with early stage disease | • Majority had significantly increased fatigue but not due to psychological factors (as was the case at baseline); rather due to diminished muscle function |
Pirl et al. (2002) | • Men receiving HT for an average 3.3 years surveyed for depression • Measures included the Beck Depression and Fatigue Severity Scales | • 45 patients of whom 12 had metastatic disease. | • Major depression in 13%, 8 times the national rate in men • Past history of depression a risk factor for depressive reaction |