CHANGES IN SEXUAL FUNCTION AFTER RADIOTHERAPY TREATMENT OF PROSTATE-CANCER

Objective To assess sexual function before and after definitive irradi ation for the treatment of cancer of the prostate. Patients and method s The study comprised 67 patients (mean age 68 years) treated in five radiotherapy departments and assessed with repeated questionnaires abo ut their libido, arousal, frequency and quality of intercourse, and se xual satisfaction. Interviews were obtained before radiotherapy and at the end of the first year after treatment. Sixty-three patients were married and 50 had a sexually effective partner, Forty-six patients pr esented with another pathology or medical treatment capable of inducin g sexual dysfunction. Before radiotherapy, 40 patients were sexually a ctive, with good to acceptable intercourse. Results Between 10 and 24 months after the end of radiotherapy, no disease progression was obser ved and prostate-specific antigen levels remained high in only two pat ients, Sexual function was preserved in 67% of patients but only 50% o bserved no change, The functional prognosis seemed to be related to th e initial frequency and quality of intercourse; more than three times per month, the prognosis remained good, under three per month, it was poor. The patient's age was a predictive factor for the frequency of i ntercourse. Conclusion Several causes of impairment of sexual function may be associated and can change over a long time, A longer survey sh ould be conducted to analyse the organic response to radiation.