Sexual Problems Related to Prostate Treatment

For Release: Immediate
Contact: Michael J. Bernstein, (703) 648-8910, michaelb@acr.org
Keri J. Sperry, (703) 295-6775, keris@astro.org

Modified Patient Questionnaire Better Identifies Sexual Problems Related to Prostate Treatment

Researchers say they now have an easy-to-use, valid and reliable questionnaire that measures sexual dysfunction, satisfaction, activity, desire, and fatigue for patients treated with radiation therapy for prostate cancer. Impotence is a potential side effect of all treatments for this disease, which include surgery as well as radiation therapy.

Details of a study involving the questionnaire were presented at the annual meeting of the American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology (ASTRO) in Phoenix, AZ on October 28.

"With the development of Viagra (the anti-impotence drug) it's important that we now have a standard measure to compare cross-studies on impotency," said Deborah Bruner, R.N., study chair. Ms. Bruner is also director of the Prostate Cancer Risk Program, Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia, PA.

She said that for the study, done by the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG), an existing questionnaire was modified. "The questionnaire distinguishes between patients under and over 60 years of age. It uses a scale of 1-5, 1 meaning having no trouble with sexual function and 5 meaning having the most trouble."

The significance of this form, Ms. Bruner explained, is that it is self-administered. "Other quality of life studies have found that when experts try to estimate a patient's quality of life it's like flipping a coin. The results are much more accurate when patients simply answer the questionnaires themselves."

In evaluating the forms given to 471 patients, she said the RTOG study team found no differences in race in sexual function after treatment. Those patients with higher income, however, did say they had a higher level of desire and sexual function.

Now that the questionnaire has been deemed a good scientific instrument, researchers plan to use it in a Viagra study, according to Ms. Bruner.

RTOG is a federally funded cancer clinical trials group, which carries out multi-disciplinary research nationwide. It is a clinical research component of the American College of Radiology.

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