The following is a summary of “Incidence of Erectile Dysfunction and Testosterone Deficiency in Testicular Cancer Survivors,” published in the January 2025 issue of Urology by Pandit et al.
Researchers conducted a retrospective study to characterize the incidence of erectile dysfunction (ED) and testosterone deficiency (TD) in patients with testicular cancer (TC).
They conducted a retrospective cohort study of US veterans diagnosed with TC from 1990 to 2021, comparing them with age- and race-matched controls without TC. ED and TD were defined by diagnosis codes or a 6-month prescription for relevant medications. Time was measured from the TC diagnosis date for patients and controls. The impact of chemotherapy on ED and TD was evaluated using Cox regression models.
The results showed that 1,754 patients with TC were compared with 7,117 noncancer controls, with a mean age at diagnosis of 42 years. Patients with TC were more likely to experience ED (hazard ratio [HR], 2.97; 95% CI, 2.68-3.28; P < .001) and TD (HR, 6.71; 95% CI, 5.78-7.81; P < .001). No significant difference in ED or TD incidence was found within the TC group based on chemotherapy receipt (P = .9 and P = .066, respectively).
Investigators emphasized the prevalence of men’s health disorders in patients with TC and the need for early identification. Sexual health assessments were deemed essential in survivorship care.
Source: auajournals.org/doi/10.1097/JU.0000000000004259
