Impact of organ sparing therapy in penile carcinoma on sexual and erectile function

INTRODUCTION: Penile carcinoma is one of the less frequent tumors of the genitourinary system, however its effect on the patients' sex life and quality of life is of great impact. Studies about the influence on patients' sex life are scarce. OBJECTIVES: To characterize sexual activity with penetration of patients with penile carcinoma who underwent different conservative therapeutic approaches and to evaluate pre and post treatment erectile function. Secondarily, to compare the results between the patients who underwent partial penectomy to those subjected to other conservative therapies. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Review of patients' records diagnosed with penile carcinoma and observed at the Portuguese Institute of Oncology of Oporto between 2005 and 2015, to obtain demographic, clinical and histopathological data. Telephone interviews for the completion of the International Index of Erectile Function-5 (IIEF-5) questionnaire to patients undergoing treatment in that period. RESULTS: 16 out of the 107 patients met the inclusion criteria (n=16), with an average IIEF-5 score of 23.44 (10-25), lowering this value to 16.56 (5-25) after therapy, p