Communication about prostate cancer between men and their wives

OBJECTIVES Metastatic prostate cancer is a serious disease that affects both men and their intimate partners. We explored the perceptions of men who have been treated for metastatic prostate cancer and the views of their wives regarding the changes that were caused by prostate cancer and its treatment. STUDY DESIGN We conducted retrospective focus group interviews with married men and separate focus groups with their wives. POPULATION Twenty married men (11 white and 9 African American) with an average age of 69 years (range=60-82 years) and 7 of the wives (5 white and 2 African American) participated in our study. Thirteen of the men were treated with orchiectomy, and 7 received monthly hormone ablation therapy. OUTCOMES MEASURED We compared the accounts of husbands and wives concerning the diagnosis and treatment of prostate cancer. RESULTS The participants' accounts indicate little spousal communication about the implications of prostate cancer on their lives. In particular, couples appear to talk little about their emotions, worries, and fears. CONCLUSIONS Although wives have a profound interest in their husbands' prostate cancer, actual communication about the disease, its treatment, and the feelings it evokes may be less than we believe. Noncommunication in marriages might indicate that these couples are at increased risk for poor adjustment to prostrate cancer.