Patient, caregiver experiences in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer: insights from a multi-national survey

Patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) and caregivers were surveyed to understand their attitudes, emotions, and experiences with the disease, its treatments, and their willingness to explore genetic testing. A non-interventional, cross-sectional, online, quantitative-qualitative survey was conducted from 17-February to 9March 2022 among patients (≥21-years old) with mCRPC (diagnosis for ≥3-months) and caregivers. A total of 221 patients with mCRPC and 159 caregivers from USA, France, Germany, Canada, Spain, China, and Brazil were surveyed. mCRPC impacts mood, emotional and mental health (50–77%), sleep (48–68%), career goals (48–80%), and social activities (46–65%). Primary symptoms/side effects are urination issues (trouble urinating: 33–60%; painful/burning urination: 32–50%, frequent urination: 27–50%) and sexual dysfunction (lower libido: 10–57%), which impact romantic relationships. Caregivers often spouses or partners, provide practical, financial, and emotional support, averaging 11 hours/week of providing care. Patients face high treatment and pill burden (7–12 pills/day) and prefer simpler treatment regimens. Hope motivates patients and genetic testing is one such avenue of hope. mCRPC is a life-changing diagnosis with physical, psychological, and financial burdens. By encouraging early genetic testing and fostering patient-centered conversation, HCPs can provide personalized care for optimized treatment outcomes in mCRPC. This study assessed the experiences of people living with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) – a type of advanced prostate cancer that may not respond to certain treatments – and the caregivers who support such individuals. Researchers surveyed patients and caregivers in seven countries to better understand how mCRPC affects daily life and how they feel about treatments and genetic testing. The results showed that mCRPC has a major impact on many areas of life, including mood, mental health, sleep, career goals, and social activities. Common symptoms include problems with urination and trouble with sex, which also affect romantic relationships. Most caregivers were spouses or partners who provided both emotional and financial support, spending an average of 11 hours each week helping their loved ones. Patients take many pills daily and generally prefer simpler treatment routines. Despite the challenges, many patients remain hopeful, and some see genetic testing as a promising option for more personalized treatment. In conclusion, mCRPC affects physical health, mental well-being and finances of both patients and caregivers. Encouraging early genetic testing and supportive conversations between patients and healthcare providers may lead to better treatment experiences and outcomes.