Prostate cancer is the most common male cancer in Ireland. One in eight men in Ireland will be affected by the disease and over 3,500 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer here every year. However, prostate cancer also has one of the best survival rates of all cancers. Thanks to early detection and advances in treatment, there are over 26,000 prostate cancer survivors in Ireland today with 90% of men diagnosed with the disease surviving.
The consequences of cancer and its treatment can result in significant, often lifelong, effects on health and quality of life. Male cancer survivors may experience effects of cancer treatment that can have a considerable impact on masculinity such as erectile dysfunction, weight gain and muscle loss, sleep disturbance and continence issues, and the psychological impact of change of body image, which is further compounded by the lack of supports to express this distress. The health care system will be able to respond to these needs in a more coordinated way if a cancer survivorship pathway is formalised with particular emphasis being placed upon dealing with troublesome symptoms, supporting individuals to transition through the various stages of the cancer journey, encouraging the active participation of patients in care and helping individuals to live well with, through and beyond a cancer diagnosis.
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