Quality of life and sexuality of men with prostate cancer 3 years after cryosurgery.
The current study was designed to describe the long-term life quality and sexuality of men enrolled in a phase 2 clinical trial of cryosurgery for the treatment of localized prostate cancer. A total of 75 men were administered the Functional Assessment of Cancer Treatment-Prostate (FACT-P) before treatment and after treatment at 6 weeks, and at 3, 6, 12, 24, and 36 months. Additionally, these men completed a Sexuality Follow-Up Questionnaire (SFQ) 3 years after cryosurgery. By 12 months after cryosurgery, most FACT-P subscales had returned to pretreatment levels. Quality of life remained stable over the subsequent 2 years. The only exception to this general trend was persistent impairment in measures of social/family well-being. At 36 months, 13% (5 of 38) of patients had regained erectile functioning, and an additional 34% (13 of 38) of patients were sexually active with the help of aids. The 3-year quality-of-life outcomes support the renewed interest in cryosurgery. No late complications were observed. Whereas improvements in erectile function were observed between years 1 and 3 for some patients, most continue to experience erectile dysfunction. For these patients, aids are an important adjunct to the treatment of their erectile dysfunction.
Department of Oncology and Program in Clinical Psychology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
John W
JW
Robinson
Bryan J
BJ
Donnelly
John C
JC
Saliken
Bryce A
BA
Weber
Scott
S
Ernst
John C
JC
Rewcastle
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000601:surgery*; D000368:Aged; D003452:Cryosurgery / Q000009:adverse effects*; D007172:Erectile Dysfunction / Q000209:etiology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011468:Prostatectomy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D011788:Quality of Life; D019529:Sexuality; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires