Exploring men's experiences of penile cancer surgery to improve rehabilitation

Abstract

Background: Penile cancer is an uncommon but serious cancer; in the UK 50% of patients undergo partial or complete penectomy resulting in far-reaching consequences.

Aim: To examine the impact of penectomy for men and make recommendations for rehabilitation and patient/carer support services.

Method: A small-scale qualitative study using interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) was carried out. A purposive sample of men with penile cancer (n = 9) at least 18 months post surgery were recruited. A male researcher interviewed them.

Results: Key themes were: the cancer journey; support and relationships; life stage and life review; and masculinity and self-image.

Conclusion: It is not unexpected to find that men should have changed life experiences following penile cancer surgery. However, the far-reaching and insidious nature of post-treatment changes reported here have implications for clinical practice and show that there is a need for further research in this area.