FirstMed Consulting Blog

Men who have had a higher standard of education have a higher quality of life after treatment for prostate cancer, according to new research.

After adjusting for a number of factors including severity of cancer, age and marital status, scientists from the San Francisco VA Medical Center (SFVAMC) found that men without high school diplomas experienced greater decline and less recovery in the first year after cancer treatment.

“These men did not start out with a lower quality of life before cancer,” says lead author Dr Sara Knight, a staff psychologist at SFVAMC.

“What’s surprising is that after treatment, they have clinically significant problems across the board - mental and emotional as well as physical - in managing their lives.”

Although low educational levels are often linked with low income, researchers claim that wealth had no bearing on the quality of life after care.

“In our analysis, it’s their lower educational level that has made them more vulnerable to the effects of prostate cancer and its treatment,” added Ms Knight.