A thematic review of men's experiences during the waiting period between prostate-specific antigen and prostate biopsy results

With our aging population and an increased awareness of men's health issues, there has been an increase in screening and diagnosis of prostate cancer (PCa). Screening for PCa commences with digital rectal examination (DRE) and a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test, followed by examination with transrectal ultrasound-guided biopsy. Very few authors have described the subjective experiences of men going through PCa screening nor the qualitative expressions that reflect their feelings, thoughts, and emotions. The purpose of this review was to explore the research literature on PCa screening to locate the voices of men going through the screening process. A literature search of databases, journal, and book references of articles in English, published between 1999 and 2009 was used. The main themes were expressed as, "Prostate Cancer Screening," "Feelings and Emotions," "Variations of Masculinity," "Coping with Prostate Cancer Information," and "Interactions with Doctors and Specialists." This literature review revealed rich information that has the potential to inform the practice of PCa screening.