Ten-year work burden after prostate cancer treatment

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Health Services Research
• Cancer Survivorship

Background:

• Prostate cancer (PCa) treatment imposes a substantial work burden, measured in weeks off work.
• Understanding this burden over a decade post-diagnosis is critical for patient support.
• Identifying risk factors for prolonged work absence is essential for targeted interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To quantify the work burden associated with prostate cancer treatment over a 10-year period.
• To identify patient groups at higher risk of work absence following PCa treatment.
• To explore the relationship between treatment modality, race, and work burden.

Main Methods:

• A cohort of 6693 men diagnosed with PCa was analyzed using CaPSURE data.
• Patients received radical prostatectomy, radiation therapy, or active surveillance.
• Work burden and health scores were self-reported pre- and post-treatment (1, 3, 5, 10 years) and analyzed using generalized estimating equation modeling.

Main Results:

• Surgical patients reported more initial time off work, but this decreased over time compared to other treatments.
• Black men and those receiving radiation therapy reported less work absence over the 10-year period compared to surgery.
• General health scores remained stable across racial and treatment groups throughout the study.

Conclusions:

• The work burden of prostate cancer care extends up to 10 years post-treatment.
• Significant variations in work burden exist across different racial and primary treatment groups.
• Resources should be allocated to support individuals at greatest risk of prolonged work absence due to cancer care.