|
Definition |
Radiotherapy affects erectile function to a lesser degree than surgery, according to retrospective surveys of patients. A meta-analysis has shown that the 1-year probability rates for maintaining erectile function were 0.76 after brachytherapy, 0.60 after brachytherapy + external irradiation, 0.55 after external irradiation,0.34 after nerve-sparing RP, and 0.25 after standard RP. When studies with more than 2 years of follow-up were selected (i.e. excluding brachytherapy), the rates became 0.60, 0.52, 0.25, and 0.25, respectively, with a greater spread between the radiation techniques and surgical approaches
|