High Neuroticism Is Related to More Overall Functional Problems and Lower Function Scores in Men Who Had Surgery for Non-Relapsing Prostate Cancer

Abstract

The personality trait of neuroticism is associated with adverse health outcomes after cancer treatment, but few studies concern men treated for prostate cancer. We examined men with high and low neuroticism treated with radical prostatectomy for curable prostate cancer without relapse. We compared overall problems and domain summary scores (DSSs) between these groups, and if high neuroticism at pre-treatment was a significant predictor of overall problems and DSSs at follow-up. A sample of 462 relapse-free Norwegian men self-rated neuroticism, overall problems, and DSSs by the EPIC-26 before surgery and at three years’ follow-up. Twenty-one percent of the sample had high neuroticism. Patients with high neuroticism reported significantly more overall problems and DSSs at pre-treatment. At follow-up, only overall bowel problems and urinary irritation/obstruction and bowel DSSs were different. High neuroticism was a significant predictor of overall bowel problems and bowel and irritation/obstruction DSSs at follow-up. High neuroticism at pre-treatment was significantly associated with a higher rate of overall problems both at pre-treatment and follow-up and had some significant predictions concerning bowel problems and urinary obstruction at follow-up. Screening for neuroticism at pre-treatment could identify patients in need of more counseling concerning later adverse health outcomes.

High neuroticism is associated with common late adverse effects in a nationwide sample of long-term breast cancer survivors

“…The finding that all the explored LEAs were more common in BCSs with high versus low neuroticism is in accordance with results reported in survivors of testicular and prostate cancer [ 10 , 11 , 14 , 15 ], and in long‑term survivors of childhood, adolescence, and young adult cancers among whom 28% had BC [ 34 , 38 ]. The finding of an increased proportion of LAEs in survivors with high neuroticism should be investigated in survivors of other types of cancer for its eventual general conclusion.…”

“…This observation warrants further investigation since we are unaware of other prevalence studies of high neuroticism in BCSs. It should be noted that other cut-off scores have also been applied leading to other prevalence rates of high neuroticism in other cancer populations [ 14 , 15 ]. The clinical relevance of various prevalence rates seems obvious and should be checked in every study.…”

“…Associations between high neuroticism and increased occurrence of LAEs have been reported in survivors of testicular [ 14 ] and prostate cancer [ 15 ] but have not to our knowledge, been explored among long-term BCSs. The overall aim of the Norwegian nationwide cross-sectional SWEET study ( S urvivorship- W ork-s E xual h E al T h-study) was to examine the impact of seven common LAEs (pain, arm problems, peripheral neuropathy, chronic fatigue, sleep problems, cognitive problems, and mental distress) on work life [ 16 , 17 ] and sexual health [ 18 ] among long-term BCSs.…”