Prostate cancer can have a significant impact on the mental wellbeing of men, a new survey has shown.

Every year in Ireland, over 2,000 men are newly diagnosed with cancer of the prostate, while 500 die as a result of the disease.

Over 1,000 people with personal experience of prostate cancer were surveyed and the findings show that as well as the physical effects, the disease also affects people mentally and financially.

Among family and friends of sufferers who were surveyed, one in three said that prostate cancer is a 'constant worry' for their loved one, while one in five described it as mentally and emotionally draining.

Meanwhile almost half of sufferers admitted that the disease had adversely affected their relationship with their partner, because of issues with sex.

Furthermore the financial impact of the disease was also clear, with at least one in five sufferers describing the cost of travelling to and from treatment a burden, while almost one in five worried about their loss of earnings.

However, the results were not all negative. Almost three in four men with prostate cancer said that knowing they can live with the disease for many years gives them hope. While the vast majority were either pleased or very pleased with the level of care provided to them by healthcare professionals.

The results were released to coincide with the news that the drug Zytiga (abiraterone acetate), which is used in the treatment of advanced prostate cancer, has been reimbursed in Ireland.

"This is great news for Irish patients with advanced prostate cancer and their families. We have been eagerly awaiting the availability of this important treatment. Up to now there has been no active treatment available for patients with advanced prostate cancer whose cancer has progressed after chemotherapy, so this new treatment represents a real unmet clinical need," commented Dr Ray McDermott, a consultant medical oncologist at Tallaght and St Vincent's University Hospitals.