Impact of Prostate Cancer Treatment on Quality of Life of LGBTQ+ Patients: A Systematic Review.

Abstract

The gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer + (LGBTQ+) community is underserved, and their needs are often misunderstood and/or overlooked. We aimed to analyze the current literature regarding prostate cancer's (PCa) impact on the quality of life (QoL) of LGBTQ+ patients with a focus on sexuality, identity, and psychosocial support. In June 2024, we searched the following databases, PubMed, Embase, and Clinicaltrials.gov, for relevant data regarding sexuality, identity, and psychosocial support of LGBTQ+ suffering from PCa using the keywords "Prostate Cancer AND Gay or Prostate Cancer AND LGBTQ+." In sum, there were only a few records on the subject with very few clinical trials. Major concerns of inadequate care included the impact on sexual intercourse, sexual identity and role, mental health, and psychological support. Two U.S. trials reported on the deep health-related quality of LGBTQ+ community members in dealing with PCa. These revealed significant sufferings and disparities in care access, delivery, perception, and satisfaction in the LGBTQ+ patients affected by PCa. Current data suggest that LGBTQ+ patients with PCa are an under-researched population whose QoL concerns and needs are often overlooked. PCa has a significant impact on the sexual, emotional, and social well-being of the LGBTQ+ community; this impact seems different than the non-LGBTQ+ community, underlying the need for focused research and interventions.