A study looking at how common anxiety and depression are in men having active surveillance for prostate cancer

This study is questioning men with prostate cancer who have chosen to delay treatment, to find out how much this group are at risk of anxiety and depression.

If you have prostate cancer that is completely inside the prostate, you can choose from surgery, radiotherapy or hormone therapy. Or, if your cancer is slow growing, your doctor can carefully monitor your cancer, and only treat it if it gets worse (active surveillance). If you choose active surveillance, you avoid treatment side effects, but need to live with the risk of your cancer possibly getting worse in the future.

In other cancers, treatment after diagnosis is usually started very quickly. This has a positive effect on the mental wellbeing of the patient, as they feel encouraged by immediate action. Men with prostate cancer who choose active surveillance don’t have this sense of encouragement. Researchers believe that this approach may actually raise levels of distress in these men.

They want to find out how common it is for men having active surveillance to develop anxiety and depression. They will ask such men to complete some questionnaires to find out more. And look at different men’s backgrounds to see if these have an effect on mental wellbeing. The aim of this study is to get an idea of how many men having active surveillance have anxiety or depression. They hope that what they find out will help doctors in future to pick out men at risk of anxiety and depression as early as possible.

Recruitment

Start 01/09/2011

End 31/12/2012

Phase

Other

Who can enter

This study is open to men being cared for by the prostate cancer clinic at any hospital taking part. If you are suitable to take part in this study, a member of your urology team will ask if you would like to join in.

You may be able to enter this study if you

Have prostate cancer, confirmed by a sample of tissue (biopsy) removed from your prostate at least 2 months ago
Are having active surveillance for your cancer
Are able to speak and easily understand English

You cannot enter this study if you

Have another type of cancer as well as prostate cancer
Have any other condition that may have a bad effect on your mood
Are not able to complete the study questionnaires properly for any reason

Trial design

This study will recruit 300 men. If you agree to take part, the team will send you 2 questionnaires for you to complete and return by post. The questionnaires are designed to find out about

Any anxiety and depression you may have
General information about you, for example your ethnic background, your education and employment history

It is important that you do not put your name on the questionnaires, as the team need to treat all the information men send back for the study anonymously.

Hospital visits

You will not have to make any extra hospital visits to take part in this study.

Side effects

You will not have any side effects from taking part in this study. But in case you are feeling depressed or anxious, the team will give you the contact details of organisations who can help you.