Prostate Cancer News:

Study: African-Americans Report Better Sexual and Urinary Function After Prostate Cancer Surgery

African-American men reported better sexual and urinary function than non-Latino white men five years after undergoing surgery for prostate cancer, according to a study reported in the October 15 issue of the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

The researchers studied 1,475 non-Latino white, 321 African-American and 279 Latino prostate cancer patients who were treated through prostate surgery (prostatectomy) or radiation therapy. The men were asked about changes in their urinary, bowel and sexual function and how much of a problem such changes posed in the men's lives.

"We found that African-American men had significantly higher sexual and urinary function five years after prostatectomy than non-Latino white men," said study author Ann Hamilton, Ph.D., assistant professor of preventive medicine at the University of Southern California’s Keck School of Medicine.

However, when researchers asked how much patients' change in sexual function bothered them, Hamilton said the African-American men indicated “slightly more bother” than white and Latino men. “We couldn't really explain why that might be," she added.

Researchers found that nearly 44 percent of African-American men who had surgery had erections firm enough for sexual intercourse, compared to 22 percent of non-Latino whites. However, nearly 38 percent of African-American men reported that their sexual function was a moderate-to-big problem, compared to 35 percent of non-Latino white men.

Hamilton said differences may exist among ethnic groups in their perceptions of sexual function. She and her colleagues added that the findings may also indicate that significant side effects continue to affect men long after treatment.

"In the end, what might be important is actually how the therapy affects each man," Hamilton said. "In terms of counseling men for side effects, perhaps there may be additional care that could be taken in discussing sexual side effects."

Men from different ethnic and racial groups who were treated through radiation therapy experienced no significant differences in their recovery of sexual, urinary or bowel function after treatment, said Hamilton.

Hamilton notes that among African-American men, more patients tend to opt for radiation therapy. "There is a perception that enters into the choice of radiotherapy-that it will have less effect on sexual function," she said.

Source: Medical Week staff, week of October 30, 2004