Purpose: We combined the strengths of previous patient reported studies (that is use of a validated instrument) with the assets of previous single surgeon, physician reported series (that is prospective collection of operative data) by performing a multiple surgeon study to identify demographic and operative determinants of post-prostatectomy sexual health related quality of life outcomes.
Materials and methods: Sexual outcome was measured after prostatectomy in 671 prostate cancer cases with a followup of 4 to 52 months treated by any of 7 urologists at a high volume medical center and 112 age matched controls by cross-sectional health related quality of life assessment using the Expanded Prostate Cancer Index Composite validated questionnaire. Multivariable ANCOVA was done to identify the baseline determinants affecting post-prostatectomy sexual health outcomes among 17 clinical and demographic factors.
Results: Factors independently associated with better sexual health outcome in patients included younger age (p <0.0001), nerve sparing technique (p <0.0001), time since prostatectomy (p = 0.0001), smaller prostate size (p = 0.003), higher education level (p = 0.02), and higher household income (p = 0.02). Orgasm was achieved at a higher rate than erection. In controls only age (p = 0.0004) and having a partner (p = 0.04) were significantly associated with sexual health.
Conclusions: Larger prostate size adversely affected sexual health outcome after radical prostatectomy independent of all other measured factors. Patient sexual outcome did not differ significantly among surgeons who performed a broad range of such procedures yearly, suggesting that surgical expertise cannot be measured simply by the number of such operations that a surgeon performs. Stratifying patient reported sexual function by the principal determinants of age, nerve sparing and prostate size provides a basis for counseling patients.