Sexual health distress and needs after radical prostatectomy: a scoping review.

A total of 53 studies were included in the scoping review from an initial pool of 4,259 records.

• Studies were published between January 1, 2013 and June 1, 2024
• The review was conducted in accordance with PRISMA-ScR guidelines
• Both English and Chinese-language studies were considered
• Two independent reviewers screened titles, abstracts, and full texts against predefined inclusion criteria
• Data extraction used an iterative consensus approach

Prostate cancer survivors and their partners experience significant physical unmet needs related to sexual health after radical prostatectomy.

• Physical dysfunction was identified as a core category of post-prostatectomy sexual health needs
• Radical prostatectomy is described as 'one of the main causes of male sexual dysfunction after surgery'
• Physical needs were identified alongside psychological, social, and informational unmet needs
• Limited access to individualized interventions was noted as a key gap in physical care

Psychosexual distress is a major unmet need experienced by both prostate cancer patients and their partners following radical prostatectomy.

• Psychological unmet needs were identified as one of four main categories of post-prostatectomy sexual health concerns
• Psychosexual distress was explicitly listed as a core component of post-prostatectomy sexual health needs
• Limited access to psychosocial support was identified as a persistent gap
• Many patients report feeling isolated and underserved

Sexual dysfunction after radical prostatectomy remains under-communicated and poorly managed in clinical practice.

• The review characterizes sexual dysfunction as 'under-communicated and poorly managed'
• Limited access to individualized interventions was found across the included studies
• Psychosocial support access was described as limited
• Many patients report feeling 'isolated and underserved'

Partners of prostate cancer patients who underwent radical prostatectomy also experience significant sexual health-related distress and unmet needs.

• The review explicitly includes partners as experiencing 'significant physical, psychological, social, and informational unmet needs related to sexual health after RP'
• Partner-inclusive strategies were identified as a necessary component of addressing post-prostatectomy sexual health needs
• The review calls for partner-inclusive rehabilitation strategies to enhance quality of life for both patients and partners

Informational unmet needs represent a distinct category of sexual health concerns for prostate cancer survivors after radical prostatectomy.

• Inadequate information was identified as one of four core post-prostatectomy sexual health need categories
• The review calls for 'accessible, reliable information' as part of addressing these needs
• Social unmet needs were also identified alongside informational needs as distinct categories
• Limited support was identified as compounding informational gaps

Addressing post-prostatectomy sexual health needs requires a multidisciplinary, individualized, and partner-inclusive approach.

• The review recommends 'multidisciplinary follow-up, individualized rehabilitation, partner-inclusive strategies, and accessible, reliable information'
• The goal of these approaches is to 'enhance patients' and partners' quality of life'
• Current management was found to be inadequate, necessitating these multi-pronged recommendations
• The four identified need domains (physical dysfunction, psychosexual distress, limited support, inadequate information) each require targeted intervention