Is another treatment option better for preservation of erectile function?
by Admin
Posted on 21-03-2023 09:51 PM
Regardless of whether the nerves were spared during surgery or whether the most precise dose planning was used during radiation therapy, erectile dysfunction remains the most common side effect after treatment. This is because the nerves and blood vessels that control the physical aspect of an erection are incredibly delicate, and any trauma to the area can result in changes. However, even if you do experience some side effects of treatment, there is also room for optimism: many excellent options for managing erectile function exist on the market today. However, within one year after treatment, most men with intact nerves will see a substantial improvement.
There are different treatments available to help you manage sexual problems. Talk through your options with a doctor or specialist. Ask them to refer you to an erectile dysfunction clinic if they are not able to give you this specialist advice.
What current options exist to treat erectile dysfunction after radical prostatectomy?
Following prostate cancer treatment of any kind, it is a possibility that you will no longer be able to have an erection. If you are unable to have an erection following treatment, this condition may last only for a short time or could be permanent. All of the currently available, potentially curative treatment options for prostate cancer can result in temporary or permanent erectile dysfunction (ed), though many men who undergo treatment for prostate cancer see little or no ill effects to their erectile function.
Radiation therapy, prostate surgery, cryotherapy, hormone therapy , and others can all result in ed.
The body is an interconnected web of organs and blood flow. Often, the first signs of erectile dysfunction may point to potential prostate cancer symptoms. Other times, erectile dysfunction becomes a symptom of prostate cancer treatment. Because of the proximity of the prostate to the penis, it makes sense that one issue can quickly lead to another. When diagnosed with prostate cancer, the treatment options are abundant. Radical prostatectomy is the removal of the prostate gland via surgery. This surgery can sever nerves and arteries needed to gain and maintain an erection. While statistics are promising (as much as 80% of men regain erection ability), it can take up to 18 months for nerve fibers to heal enough to restore ideal sex function.
How to return to an active sex life after prostate cancer treatment
Prostate cancer (pca) is the most common nondermatological malignancy in men all around the world. [ 1 ] treatment options for localized disease include active surveillance, radical prostatectomy, external-beam radiation therapy (ebrt), and brachytherapy (bt). Recently, focal therapies such as cryotherapy, high-intensity focused ultrasound, photodynamic therapy, electroporation, and laser ablation are also under investigation. [ 2 ] external radiotherapy is usually implemented alone on patients with localized pca without risk factors and in combination with hormone treatment (androgen deprivation therapy [adt]) in locally advanced disease and/or presence of high-risk factors. [ 3 ] all treatment options could cause urinary, bowel, and sexual dysfunctions; albeit in different severity, frequency, and duration.
“regardless of whether the nerves were spared during surgery or whether the most precise dose planning was used during radiation therapy, nearly all men will experience some erectile dysfunction for the first few months after treatment. The reason for this is simple: the nerves and blood vessels that control the physical aspect of an erection are incredibly delicate, and any trauma to the area will result in changes to the natural order,” explain the prostate cancer foundation regarding the causes for erectile dysfunction in prostate cancer patients. Erectile dysfunction can, however, vary and about 40 to 50% of patients with intact nerves start to see improvements a year after the treatment.
Dose to penile bulb is not associated with erectile dysfunction 18 months post radiotherapy: a secondary analysis of a randomized trial. Tøndel h, lund jå, lydersen s, wanderås ad, aksnessæther by, jensen ca, kaasa s, solberg a. Tøndel h, et al. Clin transl radiat oncol. 2018 sep 29;13:50-56. Doi: 10. 1016/j. Ctro. 2018. 09. 006. Ecollection 2018 nov. Clin transl radiat oncol. 2018. Pmid: 30364704 free pmc article. Reproducibility in contouring the neurovascular bundle for prostate cancer radiation therapy. Cassidy rj, nour sg, liu t, switchenko jm, tian s, ferris mj, press rh, zhong j, abugideiri m, rossi pj, jani ab.
Prostate cancer is one of the most prevalent cancers and the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in men in the united states. A large number of patients undergo radiation therapy (rt) as a standard care of treatment; however, rt causes erectile dysfunction (radiation-induced erectile dysfunction; ried) because of late side effects after rt that significantly affects quality of life of prostate cancer patients. Within 5 years of rt, approximately 50% of patients could develop ried. Based on the past and current research findings and number of publications from our group, the precise mechanism of ried is under exploration in detail.