Introduction: Testicular cancer (TC) is diagnosed at a young age and carries a remarkably high cure rate. Hence, there is a sizeable population living in the survivorship phase. Many studies have highlighted the plight of TC survivors as a result of the late side-effects of the different therapeutic modalities used for the treatment of TC. This is the first study in Ireland to highlight the impact of TC on socio-economic health, sexual health, and fertility in survivors.Method: We performed a questionnaire-based survey, which was fully anonymised to encourage participation. Questionnaires were designed to measure the self-reported impact on social, sexual, and economic health on a five-point Likert scale (ranging from no effect to very significant effect), whereas any effect on fertility was investigated with questions regarding biological children before and after cancer with or without medical assistance.Results: A total of 83 TC survivors participated in the study. Almost half of our respondents revealed some effect on their performance at work and personal finances. Around one-third suffered an impact on career choice, job security, and their relationship with their partner. Regarding sexual health, the worst repercussions were noted on sex drive and body image perception, where close to half of the respondents reported at least some deterioration. Ejaculation and erectile function were affected in 30% of the participants. Of all participants, 17% reported issues with fertility, and the same proportion reported seeking medical help to conceive after diagnosis or treatment of TC.Conclusions: In conclusion, some TC survivors experience significant impact on their socio-economic and sexual health.
引言：睾丸癌（TC）通常在年轻时期被诊断，且治愈率极高。因此，有相当数量的患者处于生存期阶段。许多研究已指出，由于睾丸癌治疗中不同治疗方式带来的远期副作用，幸存者面临诸多困境。本研究是爱尔兰首项关注睾丸癌对幸存者社会经济健康、性健康及生育能力影响的研究。 方法：我们开展了一项基于问卷的调查，为确保参与度，问卷采用完全匿名形式。问卷设计采用五点李克特量表（从无影响到影响非常显著）来评估患者自述的社会、性及经济健康影响，而生育能力的影响则通过询问癌症前后有无医疗辅助下生育子女的情况进行调查。 结果：共有83名睾丸癌幸存者参与研究。近半数受访者表示其工作表现和个人财务状况受到一定影响。约三分之一受访者在职业选择、工作稳定性及伴侣关系方面受到影响。在性健康方面，性欲和身体形象感知受到的影响最为显著，近半数受访者报告至少出现一定程度的恶化。30%的参与者存在射精和勃起功能受影响的情况。在所有参与者中，17%报告存在生育问题，同等比例的人群在睾丸癌诊断或治疗后曾寻求医疗帮助以实现生育。 结论：综上所述，部分睾丸癌幸存者在社会经济健康和性健康方面受到显著影响。
肿瘤(癌症)患者之家