Young Men With Cancer

A Literature Review

Heather J. Campbell-Enns, MSc; Roberta L. Woodgate, PhD, RN

Cancer Nurs. 2013;36(1):E36-47.

Conclusion

Literature was reviewed that presented research focusing on young men with cancer. The research was examined for major themes, and methodological and conceptual considerations were noted. It is of particular concern that young men with cancer are underrepresented in current literature when this age group may experience cancer differently than their older cohort. Furthermore, the complex needs of this group may be influential in the way that these men approach their illnesses and recovery. Future research using a conceptual framework influenced by a person-centered approach as well as a lifecourse perspective will encourage the development of supportive care interventions aimed at the unique needs of young men with cancer.

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Table. Summary of Literature
Author(s)	Purpose of the Study	Country	Methodology	Sample Characteristics	Results
Brodsky¹⁰	To examine the experience of testicular cancer treatment of young men	United States	Qualitative interviews Ethnographic design	11 men History of nonseminomatous testicular cancer	1. Feelings of disbelief and despair. 2. Physical and emotional trauma. 3. Renewed appreciation for life. 4. Stages of treatment.
Cecil et al¹¹	To identify sociological issues of concern that present challenges to masculinity and to male identity	Northern Ireland	Qualitative interviews Thematic analysis	8 men History of cancer and no longer being treated Age at diagnosis: 36–70 y	1. Their lives had been changed by the experience o f having cancer. 2. Financial and employment issues. 3. Changed role within family and community. 4. Body changes and body image.
Chapple et al¹²	To explore fertility issues for young men who had been diagnosed and treated for cancer and to examine communication problems	United Kingdom	Qualitative interviews Narrative design	18 men Age at interview: 16–26 y	1. The importance of choice. 2. The need for more counseling. 3. Concerns about sperm banking. 4. Feelings about possible infertility.
Elmberger et al¹³	To gain an understanding of men's experience of how cancer affects the role of a father	Sweden	Qualitative interviews Interpretive descriptive design	8 men History of blood cancer Age at diagnosis: 35–54 y	5. Transition in self-image. 6. Dealing with the changed father's role. 7. Attempts to gain control. 8. Attempts to balance emotions. 9. Sharing knowledge. 10. Meeting the challenge in family life. 11. Strive for family well-being.
Helseth and Ulfsaet¹⁴	To assess parenting experiences to understand the main challenges involved in parenting young children when a parent has cancer	Norway	Qualitative interviews Exploratory design	10 families 3 fathers; 7 mothers with cancer and spouses Age of children: 0–18 y	1. Aim of parenting: to be ''good'' parents, protect the children, make situation secure/normal. 2. Strategies for parenting during illness.
Hilton et al¹⁵	To compare men's and women's accounts of chemotherapy-induced alopecia	United Kingdom	Qualitative secondary analysis of narrative interviews	37 participants 16 men, 21 women Age at diagnosis (men): 18–34 y	1. Similarities in experience of alopecia between men and women a. Alopecia forced participants to confront cancer experience publicly; feelings of vulnerability result. b. Anticipate negative reactions from others. 2. Differences in experience of alopecia between men and women. a. Men concerned with looking less macho. b. Men described the experience of losing hair from entire body, not restricted to publicly visible hair loss. c. Women spoke of being encouraged to disguise alopecia. 3. Exceptions: 2 men, 1 woman seemed untroubled by alopecia.
Hilton et al¹⁶	To compare young adults' experiences of disclosing a cancer diagnosis	United Kingdom	Qualitative secondary analysis of narrative interviews	37 participants 16 men, 21 women Age at diagnosis (men): 18–34 y	1. Tell loved ones about the cancer diagnosis. 2. Gendered identity and disclosure of a cancer diagnosis.
Hou et al¹⁷	To examine how Chinese patients with colorectal cancer dynamically adapt to diagnosis and treatment and to explore how patients evolve and deploy different resources throughout the illness trajectory	China	Qualitative semistructured interviews Grounded theory design	16 participants 10 men, 6 women Age at diagnosis (men): 44–68 y	1. Utilization of medical resources. a. Making sense of an illness. 2. Transition of resource utilization. a. Adaptive coping. b. Resource deployment. 3. Continuous resistance to demands. a. Shaping personal resources. b. Regaining mastery. c. Developing social resources. d. Deteriorating social resources. 4. Toward recovery. a. Uncertain threat from possible recurrence. b. Remaining positive.
Mesquita et al¹⁸	To describe the experience of cancer treatment from the perspective of Brazilian men receiving chemotherapy for various cancers	Brazil	Qualitative cross-sectional descriptive study Thematic analysis	12 men Age at diagnosis: 29–77 y	1. Life before cancer: macho profile. 2. Cancer treatment: time to reprioritize. 3. After treatment: becoming different.
Parsons et al¹⁹	To examine the relationship between experiences of osteosarcoma illness and experiences of vocation	Canada	Qualitative interviews Narrative design	14 participants 8 men, 6 women History of osteosarcoma Age at diagnosis: 16–35 y	1. Osteosarcoma illness represented a crisis. 2. Participants engaged in illness work, identity work, and vocational work. These forms of work were interconnected. 3. Illness was a transformative experience for participants.
Schmidt et al²⁰	To determine to what extent sexual function was influenced by surgery, gender, and age in patients with rectal cancer	Germany	Quantitative prospective study Questionnaire at 6 points in time	495 participants with quality-of-life data 257 men, 238 women Diagnosed with rectal cancer Average age: 66.8 y Age groups: 40–50, 51–60, 61–70, 71–80, and 980 y	1. Quality of life changes after surgery. 2. Type of surgery, gender, and age impact sexual function and sexual enjoyment. 3. Men experience more strain than women do through impaired sexual enjoyment. 4. Men aged e69 y experience more stress through deteriorated sexual function than older groups do.
Schmitt et al²¹	To examine factors associated with family functioning in a sample of cancer patient families with 4- to 17-y-old children and to compare it with a community sample	Finland: multisite, 8 European countries	Quantitative cross-sectional study Questionnaire	Age of children: 4–17 y 85 families 22 ill fathers, 63 ill mothers.]	1. No differences between clinical sample and control group regarding the factors associated with family functioning. 2. Increase in impairment of family functioning with the mother in the family was depressed (ill or not). 3. Two-parent family associated with higher family functioning. 4. Male family members perceived family functioning as being worse than female family members did.
Schover et al²²	To determine male patients' knowledge, attitudes, and experiences regarding cancer-related infertility and sperm banking	United States	Quantitative Survey	201 men Age at diagnosis: 14–40 y	1. Parental status and concerns about infertility. 2. Genetic issues. 3. Knowledge about cancer-related infertility. 4. Attitudes about being a parent after cancer.
Seale and Charteris-Black²³	To examine the experiences of cancer among 3 different age groups	United Kingdom	Qualitative secondary analysis of matched narrative interviews Comparative keyword analysis	102 interviews 51 men, 51 women 3 subgroups formed by age Age ranges of men: young (16–26 y), mid (40–54 y), older (65–82 y)	1. Older men demonstrated a greater involvement with medicine as an expert system compared with younger men. 2. Older men were less likely to draw on informal social and family networks for support than younger men were.
Semple and McCance²⁴	Explore the experience of parents diagnosed with head and neck cancer who are caring for young children	Northern Ireland	Qualitative interviews Analysis via cognitive mapping	12 participants 10 fathers, 2 mothers Head and neck cancer diagnosis Age of children: 0–15 y	3. At diagnosis Parents are aware of impact on family and the developmental stage of children. Parents fear death and missing milestones. Parents fear telling children (protecting children). 4. During treatment Effects of hospital stay: separation, preparing children for visit. Effect of treatment on family life: physical/social/sexual/psychological challenges. Changing roles within family. 5. Living with the consequences of having cancer. Reestablishing routine. Living with uncertainty.>br/> Appreciation of life as a parent.
Zucca et al²⁵	To assess the prevalence and predictors of the use of coping strategies in a population of long-term cancer survivors 5–6 y after diagnosis	Australia	Quantitative cross-sectional study Survey	863 long-term survivors 391 men, 472 women Age range of men: 18–75 y (9% aged 18–39 y; 18% aged 40–49 y)	1. Use of coping strategies: fatalism, fighting spirit, cognitive avoidance, anxious preoccupation, helplessness-hopelessness. 2. 45% of survivors were not classified as ''cases'' on these 5 coping subscales. 3. Predictors of coping. 4. Predictors of maladaptive coping. 5. Gender and family composition.

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Young Men With Cancer

A Literature Review

Conclusion

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