The use of treatments for erectile dysfunction among survivors of prostate carcinoma

Leslie R. Schover,/Department of Behavioral Science, The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas

The objectives of this survey were to describe the prevalence of using a treatment for erectile dysfunction (ED) among men after therapy for localized prostate carcinoma. A postal survey was sent to 2636 men in The

Foundation's Prostate Cancer Registry who were treated initially with either definitive radiotherapy or prostatectomy for localized prostate carcinoma.  ED was a problem for 85% of men, and 59% of this group used at least 1 treatment for ED. Only 38% of men found that a medical treatment was at least somewhat helpful in improving their sex lives, however, and 30% of respondents still were using at least 1 treatment at the time of the survey.The success of medical treatments for men with ED among long-term survivors of prostate carcinoma is limited. Men prefer noninvasive treatments, although invasive treatments are more effective. Cancer 2002;95:2397-407.