title: How has early testicular cancer affected your life? A study of sexual function in men attending active surveillance for stage one testicular cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Testicular cancer is the most common cancer in young men, it is frequently diagnosed at key times in relationship formation. In early stage disease the vast majority of tumours will be cured by surgery alone with patients being offered active surveillance rather than adjuvant therapies. To date, research has not evaluated how surveillance alone impacts on sexual function.
  
  
  METHODS
  The aim of this quantitative longitudinal study was to ascertain the sexual function of men with stage one disease at 3 and 12 months post diagnosis and to compare with normative data. Additional data was collected on the information men sought regarding sexual function and media they used to access this.
  
  
  RESULTS
  This study shows that men's sexual function is altered at diagnosis and improves by 3 months. At 12 months, whilst not statistically significant, sexual function improves but not to the same level as normative data comparison. Men appear to find verbal information useful at 3 months, however men appear to be seeking written and online information at 12 months.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The intricacies of sexual function together with the low number of participants may have been best met with a qualitative approach. However, the information data indicates the importance of further research into the effects of early stage testicular cancer on sexual function. Therefore, further qualitative research is recommended to explore the effects of early stage testicular cancer in relation to sexual function.
authors.affiliation: University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust, Bristol BS28ED, UK. Electronic address: sue.brand@nhs.net.
authors.forename: Sue
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Brand
authors.affiliation: Velindre Cancer Centre, Velindre Road, Cardiff, South Glamorgan CF14 2TL, UK. Electronic address: hilarywilliams@doctors.net.
authors.forename: Hilary
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.affiliation: University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust, Bristol BS28ED, UK. Electronic address: jeremy.braybrooke@uhbristol.nhs.uk.
authors.forename: Jeremy
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Braybrooke
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D055088:Early Detection of Cancer / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012735:Sexual Dysfunction, Physiological / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D017741:Survivors / Q000523:psychology*; D013736:Testicular Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Active surveillance; Patient information; Sexual function; Testicular cancer; Young men