Penile length shortening after radical prostatectomy: men's responses.

BACKGROUND

Prostate cancer (PC) is the most common type of male-specific cancer in North American men, and many men choose radical prostatectomy (RP) to remove their cancer. Although penile length shortening (PLS) occurs in a reported 68% to 71% of men undergoing RP, little is known about it. In an electronic journal search, only 9 medical articles (with no nursing publications) were published between 1980 and 2007.

PURPOSE

To provide an account of patients' perceptions and responses to living with PLS after RP.

METHODS AND SAMPLE

Semi-structured interviews and a grounded theory approach were used to discover the basic social processes regarding men's perceptions of a shortened penis and overall sense of self. A total of six men who underwent RP and consequently noticed PLS were recruited from a local PC support group for semi-structured interviews lasting between 40-60 min.

RESULTS

Based on subjects' own definitions of masculinity, no significant changes in the constructs of masculinity and overall self-image perception were reported.

CONCLUSIONS

Men undergoing RP may not be fully aware that PLS is a possible consequence related to treatment. In spite of this, subjects were not negatively affected by its occurrence.