Erectile Dysfunction and Radical Prostatectomy: An Update

Regulation of PDE5 expression in normal prostate, benign prostatic hyperplasia, and adenocarcinoma

BACKGROUND

Type 5 phosphodiesterase (PDE5) expression in the normal and pathological prostate is controversial.

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed at identifying the cell type/s, if any, expressing PDE5 in human healthy or pathological prostate sections in order to further validate the rationale of PDE5 inhibitor (PDE5i) treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and their safety in the treatment of erectile dysfunction following prostate cancer (PCa) surgery.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

By immunohistochemical analysis, we studied PDE5 expression in tissue microarrays containing sections obtained from healthy, BPH, and PCa samples.

RESULTS

Our results showed that PDE5 is barely expressed in the epithelial or stromal compartment of normal human prostates, but it is highly expressed in the stromal compartment of BPH sections. We also found that a low but significant number of PCa samples (22%) expressed PDE5 in the epithelial cancer cells but not in stromal cells and that such expression was not correlated with the tumor aggressiveness, according to their Gleason score.

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION

PDE5 overexpression in the stromal compartment of BPH samples supports the rationale of PDE5 as a target in lower urinary tract symptoms of BPH. PDE5 expression in a significant percentage of PCa samples but the lack of correlation with the Gleason score suggests that this enzyme is not correlated with tumor aggressiveness; however, a role of PDE5 in the minimal residual disease of PCa cannot be excluded.

Pubic Bone Resection Provides Objective Pain Control in the Prostate Cancer Survivor With Pubic Bone Osteomyelitis With an Associated Urinary Tract to Pubic Symphysis Fistula

OBJECTIVE

To investigate pain intensity perception in prostate cancer survivors with pubic bone osteomyelitis with an associated urinary tract to pubic symphysis fistula before and after definitive surgical management.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We performed a review of an institutional review board-approved database of prostate cancer survivors with pubic bone osteomyelitis from 2010 to 2015. Demographic and clinical data were extracted. Pain scores were assessed in patients at varying points before and after definitive treatment using an 11-point numeric rating scale. Statistical analysis was performed using a Wilcoxon signed-rank test and NcNemar's test.

RESULTS

We identified 16 patients with a median age of 72 who met inclusion criteria. Chronic narcotic use for pain management was noted in 6 of 16 (37.5%) patients preoperatively. No statistical difference was identified between the pain score at the time of diagnosis and after completion of conservative measures (5.5 vs 5.5, P = .76). A statistically significant decrease in median pain score at the first follow-up appointment was seen compared to the preoperative pain score (0 vs. 5.5, P = .0005). At a median follow-up of 9.4 months (interquartile range 3.7-16.5), a sustained decrease in the median pain intensity score was noted in our cohort compared to their preoperative baseline pain score (5.5 vs 0, P = .0005) and pain score at the time of diagnosis (5.5 vs 0, P = .004.) CONCLUSION: Pubic bone resection provides immediate and sustained improvement in pain intensity perception in the prostate cancer survivor with pubic bone osteomyelitis with an associated urinary tract to pubic symphysis fistula.

Prognostic factors predicting successful response to sildenafil after radical cystoprostatectomy

OBJECTIVES

To assess the efficacy and safety of sildenafil citrate in the management of erectile dysfunction (ED) following radical cystectomy (RC) and to define the different prognostic factors predicting the response to sildenafil in such a challenging group of patients.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

One hundred patients with ED following RC participated in an open-label, non-randomized, prospective, dose-escalation study. The median age of the patients was 53 years and the mean period after RC was 80.7 +/- 54.8 months. The study duration was 12 weeks, comprising a 4-week run-in period followed by two active treatment periods of 4 weeks each with 50 and 100 mg of sildenafil. Patients were assessed by means of the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF) questionnaire at baseline and after each treatment period. At the end of the study, the Global Efficacy Assessment Question was used to evaluate treatment satisfaction. Factors affecting the patient's response to sildenafil were assessed by means of uni- and multivariate analysis.

RESULTS

The entire study group was suffering from severe ED at baseline, with a mean erectile function (EF) domain score of 6.5 +/- 0.93. EF scores improved to 12.2 +/- 7.76 and 18 +/- 10.3 with 50 and 100 mg of sildenafil, respectively. Sildenafil therapy significantly improved the ability of many patients to achieve and maintain an erection. The mean scores for question 3 of the IIEF were 1 +/- 0.14, 2.1 +/- 1.4 and 3 +/- 1.8 at baseline and with 50 and 100 mg of sildenafil, respectively, while the corresponding scores for question 4 were 1 +/- 0.10, 1.9 +/- 1.35 and 3 +/- 1.85. The satisfaction rate was 54%. The response was dose-dependent but the incidence of adverse effects increased from 6% with 50 mg of sildenafil to 34% with 100 mg. In univariate analysis, tumor histology and grade and postoperative partial tumescence were found to significantly impact the patient's response to sildenafil. In multivariate analysis, postoperative partial tumescence was the only independent predictive variable. CONCLUSIONS. Sildenafil was found to be a safe and satisfactory treatment for post-RC ED. The effect was dose-related. Patients with postoperative partial tumescence were the best responders.