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Tadalafil for Prevention of Erectile Dysfunction After Radiotherapy for Prostate Cancer: The Radiation Therapy Oncology Group [0831] Randomized Clinical Trial

T. Pisansky, S. Pugh, R. Greenberg, N. Pervez, D. Reed, S. Rosenthal, R. Mowat, A. Raben et al.

Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), 2014

221 participants · 43 citations

Abstract

IMPORTANCE Tadalafil is used to treat erectile dysfunction after prostate cancer treatment, but its role as a preventive agent is undefined. OBJECTIVES To determine primarily whether tadalafil preserved erectile function in men treated with radiotherapy for prostate cancer, and secondarily to determine whether participant- or partner-reported overall sexual function and sexual and marital satisfaction were affected. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS Stratified, placebo-controlled, double-blind, parallel-group study with 1:1 randomization at 76 community-based and tertiary medical sites in the United States and Canada. Two hundred forty-two participants with intact erectile function scheduled to receive radiotherapy for prostate cancer were recruited between November 2009 and February 2012 with follow-up through March 2013. INTERVENTIONS One hundred twenty-one participants were assigned 5 mg of tadalafil daily and 121 were assigned placebo for 24 weeks starting with external radiotherapy (63%) or brachytherapy (37%). Participant-reported International Index of Erectile Function response before radiotherapy and at weeks 2 and 4, between weeks 20 and 24, between weeks 28 and 30, and 1 year thereafter. Participants and partners could respond also to the Sexual Adjustment Questionnaire and to the Locke Marital Adjustment Test before radiotherapy, between weeks 20 and 24 and weeks 28 and 30, and at 1 year. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES Primary outcome was off-drug spontaneous…

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Evidence Hub reads this as a randomized trial, done in people. Its evidence level is 2 of 5 (High · randomized trial). Randomized trials of a reasonable size are the strongest single-study design. Reported size: 221 participants or records.

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