Testosterone replacement therapy may benefit male cancer survivors with testosterone deficiency

Researchers of the University of Sheffield in the United Kingdom examined the relationship between testosterone levels, quality of life, self-esteem, fatigue and sexual function in young male cancer survivors compared with young men without cancer.

Investigated young male cancer survivors said they experienced a marked impairment in quality of life, as well as reduced energy levels and quality of sexual function. These experiences were exacerbated in survivors with testosterone deficiency. Psychological distress was not elevated, self-esteem was normal, and sexual relationships were not impaired in male cancer survivors, however.

The study has found that many male cancer survivors who develop testosterone deficiency after receiving chemotherapy or radiation therapy have an impaired quality of life and reduced energy levels. Published early online in Cancer, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society, the study suggests that young male cancer survivors with testosterone deficiency may benefit from testosterone replacement therapy.