title: Potency preservation following stereotactic body radiation therapy for prostate cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Erectile dysfunction after prostate radiation therapy remains an ongoing challenge and critical quality of life issue. Given the higher dose of radiation per fraction using stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) there is concern that post-SBRT impotency would be higher than conventional radiation therapy approaches. This study sought to evaluate potency preservation and sexual function following SBRT for prostate cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between February 2008 and March 2011, 216 men with clinically localized prostate cancer were treated definitively with SBRT monotherapy at Georgetown University Hospital. Potency was defined as the ability to have an erection firm enough for intercourse with or without sexual aids while sexual activity was defined as the ability to have an erection firm enough for masturbation and foreplay. Patients who received androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) were excluded from this study. Ninety-seven hormone-naïve men were identified as being potent at the initiation of therapy and were included in this review. All patients were treated to 35-36.25 Gy in 5 fractions delivered with the CyberKnife Radiosurgical System (Accuray). Prostate specific antigen (PSA) and total testosterone levels were obtained pre-treatment, every 3 months for the first year and every 6 months for the subsequent year. Sexual function was assessed with the Sexual Health Inventory for Men (SHIM), the Expanded Prostate Index Composite (EPIC)-26 and Utilization of Sexual Medication/Device questionnaires at baseline and all follow-up visits.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Ninety-seven men (43 low-, 50 intermediate- and 4 high-risk) at a median age of 68 years (range, 48-82 years) received SBRT. The median pre-treatment PSA was 5.9 ng/ml and the minimum follow-up was 24 months. The median pre-treatment total serum testosterone level was 11.4 nmol/L (range, 4.4-27.9 nmol/L). The median baseline SHIM was 22 and 36% of patients utilized sexual aids prior to treatment. Although potency rates declined following treatment: 100% (baseline); 68% (6 months); 62% (12 months); 57% (18 months) and 54.4% (24 months), 78% of previously potent patients had erections sufficient for sexual activity at 24 months post-treatment. Overall sexual aid utilization increased from 36% at baseline to 49% at 24 months. Average EPIC sexual scores showed a slow decline over the first two years following treatment: 77.6 (baseline); 68.7 (6 months); 63.2 (12 months); 61.9 (18 months); 59.3 (24 months). All sexual functions including orgasm declined with time. Prior to treatment, 13.4% of men felt their sexual function was a moderate to big problem which increased to 26.7% two years post treatment. Post-treatment testosterone levels gradually decreased with a median value at two year follow-up of 10.7 nmol/L. However, the average EPIC hormonal scores did not illustrate a statistically significant difference two years post-treatment. Review of the radiation doses to the penile bulb in this study, a potential marker of post-treatment sexual function, revealed that the dose was relatively low and at these low doses the percentage of the penile bulb receiving 29.5 Gy did not correlate with the development of ED.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Men undergoing SBRT monotherapy for prostate cancer report sexual outcomes comparable to those reported for conventional radiation modalities within the first 24 months after treatment. Longer follow-up is required to confirm the durability of these findings.
authors.forename: Olusola
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Obayomi-Davies
authors.forename: Leonard N
authors.initials: LN
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Aditi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bhagat
authors.forename: Henry C
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Wright
authors.forename: Sunghae
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Uhm
authors.forename: Joy S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Thomas M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Yung
authors.forename: Siyuan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lei
authors.forename: Gerald P
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Batipps
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pahira
authors.forename: Kevin G
authors.initials: KG
authors.lastname: McGeagh
authors.forename: Brian T
authors.initials: BT
authors.lastname: Collins
authors.forename: Keith
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kowalczyk
authors.forename: Gaurav
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bandi
authors.forename: Deepak
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.forename: Simeng
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Suy
authors.forename: Anatoly
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dritschilo
authors.forename: John H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Lynch
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Medicine, Georgetown University Hospital, 3800 Reservoir Road, NW, Washington, DC 20007, USA. SPC9@georgetown.edu.
authors.forename: Sean P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Collins
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000728:Androgens / Q000097:blood; D007172:Erectile Dysfunction / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D010410:Penile Erection / Q000528:radiation effects; D010413:Penis / Q000528:radiation effects / Q000601:surgery; D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen / Q000097:blood; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000601:surgery*; D011788:Quality of Life; D016634:Radiosurgery / Q000379:methods*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D000728:Androgens; D013739:Testosterone; D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen