Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Men with prostate cancer over the first year of illness: their experiences as biographical disruption

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Supportive Care in Cancer Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Goals

This paper is one of five interrelated papers about cancer, drawn from a larger study exploring the experiences of 66 people diagnosed with cancer. Findings are reported separately because the way in which people experience cancer can vary by cancer type. Here, we determine the utility of liminality and biographical disruption as explanatory theories in relation to men's experiences of prostate cancer. We situate and explore notions of liminality and disruption in relation to self, identity and context to inform debate about the provision of supportive care and highlight the contribution this study makes to the understandings of men's health.

Materials and methods

This is a qualitative interview study of 66 people diagnosed with cancer. The study included five cancer types: gynaecological, prostate, lung, breast and colorectal. This paper illustrates the experiences of ten men diagnosed with prostate cancer. Three serial interviews were conducted at (1) diagnosis, (2) treatment and (3) follow-up. Drawing on the constant comparative method (Glaser and Strauss 1967), a descriptive and thematic approach to data analysis was adopted. This descriptive analysis evidenced that cancer caused disruption to people's lives. In order to move beyond this level of description, begin to explain this and develop theoretical insight, we drew on concepts of biographical disruption (Bury, Sociol Health Illn 4(2):167–182, 1982; Bury, Sociol Health Illn 13(4):451–468, 1991; Bury, Sociol Health Illn 23(3):263–285, 2001) and liminality (Navon and Morag, Soc Sci Med 58(11):2337–2347, 2004).

Main results

Notions of biography and identity weave their way through men's accounts of prostate cancer. Physical side effects and reconstructed futures each form key parts of men's narratives.

Conclusions

Our findings add to existing knowledge of supportive care needs for men living with prostate cancer. We suggest that studies exploring supportive care need to remain mindful of the disruption that cancer causes both during and after treatment, the complexity of such experience and respective demands on supportive care.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Notes

  1. Microfocal—small histological tumours found at autopsy or in surgical specimens, also called latent or incidental prostate cancer.

References

  1. Bokhour BG, Clark JA, Inui TS, Silliman RA, Talcott JA (2001) Sexuality after treatment for early prostate cancer: exploring the meanings of “erectile dysfunction”. J Gen Intern Med 16(10):649–655. doi:10.1111/j.1525-1497.2001.00832.x

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Bokhour BG, Powel LL, Clark JA (2007) No less a man: reconstructing identity after prostate cancer. Commun Med 4(1):99–109. doi:10.1515/CAM.2007.010

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Broom A (2004) Prostate cancer and masculinity in Australian society: a case of stolen identity? Int J Ment Health 3(2):73–91

    Google Scholar 

  4. Bury M (1982) Chronic illness as biographical disruption. Sociol Health Illn 4(2):167–182. doi:10.1111/1467-9566.ep11339939

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Bury M (1991) The sociology of chronic illness: a review of research and prospects. Sociol Health Illn 13(4):451–468. doi:10.1111/j.1467-9566.1991.tb00522.x

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Bury M (1997) Health and illness in a changing society. Routledge, London

    Google Scholar 

  7. Bury M (2001) Illness narratives: fact or fiction. Sociol Health Illn 23(3):263–285. doi:10.1111/1467-9566.00252

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Chapple A, Ziebland S (2002) Prostate cancer: embodied experience and perceptions of masculinity. Sociol Health Illn 24(6):820–841. doi:10.1111/1467-9566.00320

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Charmaz K (1994) Identity dilemmas of chronically ill men. Sociol Q 35(2):269–288. doi:10.1111/j.1533-8525.1994.tb00410.x

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Charmaz K (1995) The body, identity and self: adapting to impairment. Sociol Q 36(4):657–680. doi:10.1111/j.1533-8525.1995.tb00459.x

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Charmaz K (1999) Stories of suffering: subjective tales and research narratives. Qual Health Res 9(3):362–382

    Google Scholar 

  12. Duke JM, Treloar CJ, Byles JE (2005) Evaluation of a revised instrument to assess the needs of men diagnosed with prostate cancer. Support Care Cancer 13(11):895–903. doi:10.1007/s00520-005-0808-5

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Exley C, Letherby G (2001) Managing a disrupted life course: issues of identity and emotion work. Health 5(1):112–132. doi:10.1177/136345930100500106

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Glaser BG, Strauss AL (1967) The discovery of grounded theory: strategies for qualitative research. Aldine Transaction, New Brunswick

    Google Scholar 

  15. Green G, Todd J, Pevalin D (2007) Biographical disruption associated with multiple sclerosis: using propensity scoring to assess the impact. Soc Sci Med 65(3):524–535. doi:10.1016/j.socscimed.2007.03.007

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Hart SL, Latini DM, Cowan JE, Carroll PR (2008) Fear of recurrence, treatment satisfaction, and quality of life after radical prostatectomy for prostate cancer. Support Care Cancer 16(2):161–169. doi:10.1007/s00520-007-0296-x

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Heidenreich A, Aus G, Abbou CC, Bolla M, Joniau S, Matveev V et al (2007) Guidelines on prostate cancer. European Association of Urology, Arnhem

    Google Scholar 

  18. Hubbard G, Kidd L, Donaghy E, McDonald C, Kearney N (2007) A review of literature about involving people affected by cancer in research, policy and planning and practice. Patient Educ Couns 65(1):21–33. doi:10.1016/j.pec.2006.02.009

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Kendall M, Boyd K, Campbell C, Cormie P, Fife S, Thomas K, Weller D, Murray SA (2006) How do people with cancer wish to be cared for in primary care? Serial discussion groups of patients and carers. Fam Pract 23(6):644–650. doi:10.1093/fampra/cml035

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Korda M (1998) Man to man: surviving prostate cancer. Warner Books, London

    Google Scholar 

  21. Mathieson CM, Stam HJ (1995) Renegotiating identity: cancer narratives. Sociol Health Illn 17(3):283–306. doi:10.1111/1467-9566.ep10933316

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Navon L, Morag A (2004) Liminality as biographical disruption: unclassifiability following hormonal therapy for advanced prostate cancer. Soc Sci Med 58(11):2337–2347. doi:10.1016/j.socscimed.2003.08.029

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. Oliffe J (2005) Constructions of masculinity following prostatectomy-induced impotence. Soc Sci Med 60(10):2249–2259

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Ostrander EA, Kwon EM, Stanford JL (2006) Genetic susceptibility to aggressive prostate cancer. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 15(10):1761–1764. doi:10.1158/1055-9965.EPI-06-0730

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Prior T, Waxman J (2000) Localised prostate cancer: can we do better? There have been some advances in local control, but little impact on survival. BMJ 320(7227):69–70. doi:10.1136/bmj.320.7227.69

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. QSR International Pty Ltd (2006) NVivo qualitative data analysis software [computer program], version 7

  27. Rajaram SS, Hill J, Rave C, Crabtree BF (1997) A biographical disruption: the case of an abnormal pap smear. Health Care Women Int 18(6):521–531

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  28. Scottish Executive (2003) Cancer in Scotland: action for change. A guide to securing access to information. Scottish Executive, Edinburgh

    Google Scholar 

  29. Scottish Executive (2004) Cancer in Scotland. Sustaining change. Scottish Executive, Edinburgh

    Google Scholar 

  30. Spencer L, Ritchie J, O'Connor W (2003) Analysis: practices, principles and processes. In: Ritchie J, Lewis J (eds) Qualitative research practice: a guide for social science students and researchers. Sage, London, pp 199–261

    Google Scholar 

  31. Steginga SK, Occhipinti S, Gardiner RA, Yaxley J, Heathcote P (2002) Making decisions about treatment for localized prostate cancer. BJU Int 89(3):255–260. doi:10.1046/j.1464-4096.2001.01741.x

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  32. Steginga SK, Ferguson M, Clutton S, Gardiner RA, Nicol D (2008) Early decision and psychosocial support intervention for men with localised prostate cancer: an integrated approach. Support Care Cancer 16(7):821–829. doi:10.1007/s00520-007-0351-7

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  33. Stewart BW, Kleihues P (2003) World Cancer Report. IARC Press, Lyon

    Google Scholar 

  34. Taskila T, Lindbohm ML, Martikainen R, Lehto US, Hakanen J, Hietanen P (2006) Cancer survivors' received and needed social support from their work place and the occupational health services. Support Care Cancer 14(5):427–435. doi:10.1007/s00520-005-0005-6

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  35. Tritter JQ, Calnan M (2002) Cancer as a chronic illness? Reconsidering categorization and exploring experience. Eur J Cancer Care (Engl) 11(3):161–165. doi:10.1046/j.1365-2354.2002.00345.x

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  36. Verhage BA, Kiemeney LA (2003) Inherited predisposition to prostate cancer. Eur J Epidemiol 18(11):1027–1036. doi:10.1023/A:1026101914592

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  37. Wilson S (2007) ‘When you have children, you're obliged to live’: motherhood, chronic illness and biographical disruption. Sociol Health Illn 29(4):610–626

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

We wish to thank all the respondents who spoke about their experiences with us for this study.

Illustrations

None

Legends

None

Conflicts disclosures or funding

This study was funded by a grant from the Scottish Executive.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Cancer Care Research Centre, Department of Nursing and Midwifery, University of Stirling, Stirling, FK9 4LA, UK

    Sandi Cayless, Liz Forbat, Nicola Illingworth, Gill Hubbard & Nora Kearney

Authors
  1. Sandi Cayless
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Liz Forbat
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Nicola Illingworth
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Gill Hubbard
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Nora Kearney
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Sandi Cayless.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Cayless, S., Forbat, L., Illingworth, N. et al. Men with prostate cancer over the first year of illness: their experiences as biographical disruption. Support Care Cancer 18, 11–19 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-009-0624-4

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-009-0624-4

Keywords

Search

Navigation