Outcomes Following Localized Prostate Cancer Treatment

To the Editor A recent study reported approximately 10-year follow-up data on functional outcomes of patients after treatment for localized prostate cancer, providing essential evidence-based medical evidence for clinical decision-making. We have 2 concerns regarding the data analyses on sexual function after radical prostatectomy. First, apart from androgen deprivation therapy, the potential influence of salvage radiotherapy on sexual function also needs to be considered because this therapy is frequently used after radical prostatectomy in clinical settings, especially among patients with unfavorable-prognosis prostate cancer. Therefore, a post hoc sensitivity analysis including patients who underwent radical prostatectomy alone could potentially yield important results. Second, the sexual function outcomes after radical prostatectomy are closely associated with implementation of a nerve-sparing surgical approach and surgical expertise. Notably, the utilization of medication for erectile dysfunction may also introduce potential bias in the assessment of sexual function.
Source: JAMA - Journal of the American Medical Association - Category: General Medicine Source Type: research