Cialis effective for prostatectomy patients

Among new clinical data on Cialis (tadalafil) presented, 62% of men who underwent bilateral nerve-sparing radical retropubic prostatectomy (BNSRRP), a surgery for prostate cancer, reported improved erections after taking the drug.

Experts have said that more than half of men report erectile dysfunction (ED) 18 months or more after this form of radical prostatectomy^1,2, which is among difficult to treat causes of the condition.

'Despite numerous advances in prostatectomy technique, data suggest that localised nerve trauma leaves many men with ED that is quite challenging to manage,' said Dr Joel Kaufman, medical director of Urology Research Options, Aurora, CO. 'In this trial, men taking Cialis reported an improvement in measures of improved erections, and maintaining erections for both penetration and completion of intercourse.'

Cialis is a new investigational PDE5 inhibitor being developed by Lilly ICOS LLC for the treatment of ED. The findings also included:

The study demonstrated that 62% of men who de-veloped ED following BNSRRP, a surgery for prostate cancer, reported improved erections after taking Cialis 20mg, compared with 23% with placebo, based on the question of whether the treatment they were taking improved their erections.

The most commonly reported treatment-emergent adverse events with Cialis in the study were headache, upset stomach, and muscle ache.

This Phase III multi-centre study consisted of a four-week treatment-free period followed by 12 weeks of treatment with Cialis 20mg or placebo. In the study, 303 men who had undergone bilateral nerve sparing radical prostatectomy 12-48 months pre-study were randomized (2:1) to Cialis 20mg or placebo. The study included a subgroup of 201 men who still retained the ability to have some erection following this type of surgery.