« October 2006

Cialis Improves Sexual Function for Prostate Cancer Survivors
October 02, 2006

In the first randomized trial of its kind, Tadalafil, a drug typically prescribed for erectile dysfunction in men, has been proven to increase the sexual function of prostate cancer survivors, according to a study released today from the International Journal of Radiation Oncology*Biology*Physics, the official journal of ASTRO.

Prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in men, with an estimated 235,000 Americans expected to be diagnosed with it this year. In its early stage, prostate cancer can be treated with surgery and radiation therapy or a combination of the two. With more advanced cancer, treatment options can vary.

The walnut-sized prostate is located near the tubes that carry urine and semen. After treatment, some patients report trouble achieving an erection sufficient for sexual activity, also called erectile dysfunction or ED. In this study, doctors wanted to test whether the drug Tadalafil, which sells under the brand name Cialis, would help prostate cancer survivors with erectile dysfunction who were treated with three-dimensional conformal radiation therapy (3D-CRT). This is the first randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind trial to examine Tadalafil's lasting effect in treating patients who have erectile dysfunction after radiation therapy for prostate cancer.

Nearly 360 patients were treated for prostate cancer at the Erasmus MC-Daniel den Hoed Cancer Center in The Netherlands between 1998 and 2002. Among them, 60 patients complaining of erectile dysfunction after radiation therapy were included.

 

Read more: http://www.emaxhealth.com/52/7669.html