Validation of Comprehensive Prostate Cancer Assessment on Sexual Health for Men Who Have Sex With Men (COMPASS)

The purpose of this study was to validate a questionnaire that can be used to assess sexual function and practices of men with prostate cancer (PCa), who have sex with men.

Previously, we developed a questionnaire with 13 domains on specific aspects of sexual quality of life for men who have sex with men: sex drive, ejaculation, erection, orgasm, general sexual questions, receptive anal intercourse, insertive anal intercourse, solo masturbation, receiving masturbation, receiving oral sex, sex with regular partner(s), sex with casual partner(s), and urinary leakage. Men who have sex with men with PCa completed the questionnaire twice, with each completion separated by 2 to 4 weeks. Statistical analyses included factor analysis, test/retest validation with Cronbach alpha, and intraclass correlation. Since urinary leakage is significantly more common with radical prostatectomy than with radiation, we have compared urinary leakage with treatment history as an independent validation. Multivariate regression was performed to explore the impact of demographics and treatment parameters on different domains.

All domains except erection were loaded to a single factor in factor analysis. Cronbach alpha was good-to-excellent for all domains except ejaculation. All domains were highly significant for intraclass correlation, with ejaculation being the lowest. Urination leakage was worse for men treated with radical prostatectomy compared with external beam radiation. Multivariate regression showed that radical prostatectomy and external beam radiation might not affect receptive anal sex and receptive oral sex, respectively. Previous treatment with androgen deprivation therapy and brachytherapy was related to low scores for each domain.

We validated a questionnaire with 13 domains that included various aspects of sexual quality of life for men with PCa, who have sex with men. The questionnaire is now ready for further study in research and clinical settings.