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The aim was to describe male cancer survivors' barriers towards participation in cancer rehabilitation as a means to guiding future targeted men's cancer rehabilitation. Symbolic Interactionism along with the interpretive descriptive methodology guided the study of 35 male cancer survivors representing seven cancer types. Data were generated through a 5-month fieldwork study comprising participant observations, semi-structured individual interviews and informal conversations. The analyses revealed two overarching findings shedding light on male cancer survivors' barriers to rehabilitation: ‘Fear of losing control’ and ‘Striving for normality’. While ‘Fear of losing control’ signified what the men believed rehabilitation would invoke: ‘Reduced manliness’, ‘Sympathy and dependency’ and ‘Confrontation with death’, ‘Striving for normality’ was based on what the men believed rehabilitation would hinder: ‘Autonomy and purpose’, ‘Solidarity and fellowship’ and ‘Forget and move on’. This study of male cancer survivors' and cancer rehabilitation documents how masculine ideals may constitute barriers for participation in rehabilitation and provides insights about why men are underrepresented in rehabilitation. The findings can guide practice to develop research-based rehabilitation approaches focused on preserving control and normality. Further empirical evidence is needed to: (1) explore the conduct of health professionals' towards male cancer patients and (2) address gender inequalities in cancer rehabilitation.

This paper aims to report on a systematic review of qualitative studies on men's reflections on participating in cancer rehabilitation. Nine databases were systematically searched to identify qualitative papers published between 2000 and 2013. Papers were selected by pre-defined inclusion criteria and subsequently critically appraised. Key themes were extracted and synthesised. Fifteen papers were selected and represented. Four central themes were identified in the analytical process: ‘changed life perspective’, ‘the masculinity factor’, ‘a desire to get back to normal’ and ‘the meaning of work’. Six peripheral themes were identified: ‘the meaning of context’, ‘music’, ‘physical training’, ‘religion’, ‘humour’ and ‘the unmentionable’. The themes were synthesised into an integrative model representing men's reflections on participating in cancer rehabilitation. We conclude that existing qualitative literature offers insight into men's reflections on cancer rehabilitation and highlights the interrelationship between men's reflections on their changed life perspective, masculinity, orientation towards a normal life and getting back to work. Further research-based knowledge is needed to explore (1) the underlying causes and patterns of the men's needs, preferences and choices in rehabilitation; and (2) the health professional perspective on male cancer rehabilitation.

Recent years have seen a growing number of survivors from haematological malignancies. As biology and treatment for these malignancies differ from other malignancies, we performed a systematic literature review of factors associated with work outcome for these survivors. A systematic literature search was conducted. Eight studies with different methodology and characteristics met the inclusion criteria. Three prospective studies agreed, to a high extent, on their findings, whereas results of five cross-sectional studies collectively were inconclusive. Overall, this review - like reviews on other cancer survivors - found no certain association of single factors with work outcome. However, based on possible explanations of the converging findings, this review pinpointed a number of issues that may inform future studies. The design should preferably be prospective, including comparison with age-paired cancer-free individuals. The role of co-morbidity and of differences between haematological diagnoses ought to be established, and work outcomes must be well defined and recorded with valid methods. To establish cause-effect relations, factors possibly associated to work outcome should be evaluated at an early time point after diagnosis. Such studies would assist identification of individuals at increased risk of encountering work-related problems and would hence help establish knowledge on which rehabilitation measures could rest.