Every year, an estimated 650 to 1,000 Australian gay and bisexual men are diagnosed with prostate cancer and 6,500 to 10,000 are living with the disease.1
Prostate cancer is not more common in gay or bisexual men, or men who have receptive anal sex, than in the general Australian population.
If you are a person who was presumed female at birth, you don’t have a prostate, so you can’t get prostate cancer.
Tests for diagnosing prostate cancer are the same for everyone and include:
There are many different treatment options for prostate cancer. Your treatment will depend on the stage of your cancer, your symptoms, your general health and wellbeing, and your lifestyle. Read more about treatments for prostate cancer here.
Before choosing a treatment, your medical team will clearly explain all the available options and side effects to help you make an informed choice. You can get extra information or support from our Nurse Navigators.
You might also be interested in having a chat with other people who are in the same situation. Your medical team can help you find local prostate cancer support groups and networks.
Different prostate cancer treatments can have different types of side effects that may impact your sexual or psychological wellbeing. You may experience:
Before you decide on a treatment, it’s important to consider the different ways your sex life could be affected, depending on the sexual activities you engage in. The St Vincent’s Men’s Health Centre can help with resources that answer frequently asked questions relating to sexual activity for gay and bisexual men following prostate cancer treatment.
Prostate cancer is not more common in people living with HIV.
If you have HIV, your medical team can talk to you about the available treatment options. Some HIV drugs can interact with other medications, so it’s important that all medications, including over-the-counter medications, are discussed with your medical team.
Having prostate cancer isn’t easy, and you may find that your diagnosis and treatment impact your mental health, work–life balance and personal relationships. It’s normal to feel anxious about your health and future, but help is available.
Talk to your medical team about accessing psychological support. You may also find it helpful to bring someone you trust to your appointments, as the extra support can be comforting and reassuring.
Anything you tell your medical team remains confidential, so it’s completely up to you whether you decide to talk about your sexuality. However, being open with your team about it will help ensure you get the most appropriate treatment for your needs.
While it’s normal to feel apprehensive about these discussions – especially if you have faced discrimination in past health care – your team at St Vincent’s understands your needs, will not discriminate and will always treat you with respect.
[1] Ussher JM et al. (2017). Threat of sexual disqualification: the consequences of erectile dysfunction and other sexual changes for gay and bisexual men with prostate cancer. Archives of Sexual Behaviour, vol 46, pp 2043–2057. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-016-0728-0
