It should be noted that there are men who have sex with men (MSM) or other homosexually active men but non-gay identified, men in heterosexual relationships but are sexually active with men, and transgender women. In most of the research undertaken to investigate issues affecting men with prostate cancer, one important factor that is repeatedly omitted is the man’s sexual orientation.ĭibble et al 3 define sexual orientation as ‘an enduring emotional, romantic, sexual, or affectional attraction toward others’ and it ‘exists along a continuum that ranges from exclusive heterosexuality to exclusive homosexuality and includes various forms of bisexuality’. There is a dearth of research and understanding concerning the needs and experiences of gay and bisexual men with prostate cancer.
Mistry et al 2 have predicted that by 2030 prostate cancer is set to become the most prevalent of all cancers in the UK. 1 One in 8 men at some point in their lives will get prostate cancer, 250,000 men are living with prostate cancer. In the UK prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men and accounts for around a quarter (26%) of male cases.
