Comparing how anxiety is experienced between White and minority patients after local therapy for prostate cancer: A hypothesis-generating pilot study

Men diagnosed with prostate cancer bear the burden of a cancer diagnosis, compounded by the stress of choosing from a variety of treatment options. Treatment may have associated side effects, including erectile, urinary, and bowel dysfunction, among others, all of which may lead to heightened levels of anxiety in patients.1 While disparities in cancer-specific and surgical outcomes have been studied in men of racially diverse backgrounds with prostate cancer, how a minority racial identity influences perceptions of anxiety with prostate cancer is not well-delineated.2 Thus, our study aims to evaluate differences in psychosocial effects of prostate cancer and its treatment between non-Hispanic Whites and minority groups (African Americans and Hispanic men)