The evaluation of concepts and feelings of patients with prostatic adenocarcinoma who are candidates for radical prostatectomy, after surgery: second part of a longitudinal qualitative study

Abstract

Radical prostatectomy following prostatic adenocarcinoma could affect many aspects of patients’ lives. This study aims to investigate patients’ understanding and insight of their disease and its treatment. Materials and Methods: A semi-structured in-depth interview was conducted with 8 selected consented men with prostatic adenocarcinoma 3-6 months after radical prostatectomy. Interviews were analyzed implementing Colaizzi’s descriptive phenomenological method. Results: 22 themes and 50 subthemes were extracted. Importance of long-term complications of surgery, mental effects of disease and surgery, thinking about death during the disease, roll of spirituality in coping with disease, roll of family and friends during the disease process and limitations according to the disease and surgery were some of more important themes noted.