Tadalafil Not Found to Prevent Erectile Dysfunction in Prostate Cancer Patients

Daily use of tadalafil (Cialis), commonly used to treat erectile dysfunction, did not result in improved erectile function for men undergoing radiotherapy for treatment of prostate cancer, according to a recent study.

Published April 2, 2014, in the Journal of the American Medical Association, the study included 242 men with intact erectile function who were randomly selected to receive daily doses of tadalafil at the start of treatment for prostate cancer. Of these patients, 121 took 5 mg of tadalafil daily and 121 took a placebo as they began external radiotherapy or brachytherapy.

Of the patients on tadalafil, 80 were able to retain erectile function between weeks 28 and 30, compared with 61 patients able to retain erectile function with a placebo. No significant difference was found between the 2 groups after 1 year, as 72% of men who took tadalafil were able to maintain an erection, compared with 71% of men who took the placebo.

Patients on tadalafil were not found to have significantly improved overall sexual function or satisfaction. Additionally, treatment with tadalafil did not impact sexual satisfaction for the partners of patients.

“Among men undergoing radiotherapy for prostate cancer, daily use of tadalafil compared with placebo did not result in improved erectile function,” the study authors conclude. “These findings do not support daily use of tadalafil to prevent erectile dysfunction in these patients.”