Abstract
The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of radical prostatectomy (RP) for prostate cancer, transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) for benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH), and the alterations induced by ageing on quality of life, urinary and sexual function, and bother. We evaluated 283 patients who filled in and returned the questionnaire used. A total of 105 were treated with RP and were selected prostate cancer patients with localised disease without recurrences. An additional 98 underwent TURP for BPH and a third group consisted of 80 apparently healthy men. The general quality of life was estimated by the Rand 36-Item Health Survey 1.0. Urinary function was estimated by the AUA Symptom Index and the UCLA Prostate Cancer Index (urinary function and bother scale). Sexual function and bother, were explored using the Brief Male Sexual Function Inventory for Urology. Patient outcome 2 years post treatment was compared to the pre-treatment status and to that of the matched control population. General quality of life was not affected by RP or TURP, with the exception of an increase in the emotional/well being domain in RP patients to control group levels. After RP there was more bother reported for the urinary function than urinary malfunction itself, while TURP, as expected, restored urinary function and bother to normal population norms. Elderly males had urinary function and bother similar to the operated patients. Estimating sexual function on RP patients, erectile dysfunction (ED) predominates, leading to decreased sexual life. TURP marginally affects sexual life, mainly due to the loss of ejaculation, while in men from the control group, sexual function, although affected, was still present.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Yoichi A, Yoshitaka A, Kazutoshi O, Hiroshi M, Naoki T, Yosuke M, Shinya M, Keiji O (2000) Impact of interventional therapy for benign prostatic hyperplasia on QoL and sexual function: a prospective study. J Urol 164: 1206
Zlotta A, Schulman C (1999) BPH and sexuality. Eur Urol 36 [Suppl 1]: 107
Walsh PC (1998) Transurethral resection of the prostate. In: Walsh PC, Retik AB, Vaughan ED, Wein AJ (eds) Campbell’s urology, 7th edn. WB Saunders, Philadelphia, p 1511
Soderdahl D., Knight RW, Hansberry KL (1996) Erectile dysfunction following transurethral resection of the prostate. J Urol 156: 1354
Smith DS, Carvalhal GF, Schneider K, Krygiel J, Yan Y, Catalona WJ (2000) QoL outcomes for men with prostate cancer detected by screening. Cancer 88: 1454
Rossetti SR, Terrone C (1996) QoL in prostate cancer patients. Eur Urol 30 [Suppl 1]: 44
Hays RD, Sherbourne CD, Mazel R (1993) The RAND 36-Item Health Survey 1.0. Health Econ 2: 217
Litwin MS, Hays RD, Fink A, Ganz PA, Leake B, Brook RH (1998) The UCLA Prostate Cancer Index. Development, reliability and validity of a health-related quality of life measure. Medical Care 36: 1002
Barry MJ, Fowler FJ, O’Leary MP, Bruskewitz RC, Holtgrewe L, Mebust WK, Cockett ATK, The Measurement Committee of the American Urological Association (1992) The American Association Symptom Index for benign prostate hyperplasia. J Urol 148: 1549
O’Leary MP, Fowler FJ, Lenderking WR, Barber B, Sagnier P, Guess HA, Barry MJ (1995) A Brief Male Sexual Function Inventory For Urology. Urology 46: 697
Litwin MS, McGuican KA, Shpall AI, Dhanani N (1999) Recovery of health related QoL in the year after radical prostatectomy: early experience. J Urol 161: 515
Walsh PC, Marshke P, Ricker D, Burnet AL (2000) Patient reported urinary continence and sexual function after anatomic radical prostatectomy. Urology 55: 58
Kinn AC, Helmy-Dhejne C, Larsson J (1998) Sexual function one year after transurethral prostate resection. Scan J Urol Nephrol 32: 33
Temml C, Haldinger G, Schmidbauer J, Schatzi G Madersbarcher S (2000) Urinary incontinence in both sexes: prevalence rates and impact on QoL and sexual life. Neurourol Urodyn 19: 259
Fowler FJ, Wennberg JE, Timothy RP, Barry MJ, Mully AG, Henly D (1995) Symptom status and QoL following prostatectomy. JAMA 259: 3018QoL.
Litwin MS, Hays RD, Fink A, Ganz PA, Leake B, Leach GE, Brook RH (1995) QoL outcome in men treated for localized prostate cancer. JAMA 273: 129
Kao T, Cruess D, Garner D et al. (2000) Multicenter patient self-reporting questionnaire on impotence, incontinence and stricture after radical prostatectomy. J Urol 163: 858
Seftel AD (2003) Erectile dysfunction in the elderly: epidemiology, etiology and approaches to treatment. J Urol 169: 1999
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Deliveliotis, C., Liakouras, C., Delis, A. et al. Prostate operations: long-term effects on sexual and urinary function and quality of life. Comparison with an age-matched control population. Urol Res 32, 283–289 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00240-004-0411-0
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00240-004-0411-0