AIMS: This study assessed how functional satisfaction and quality of life outcomes of the artificial urinary sphincter (AUS) were affected in patients who received radiation for prostate cancer. METHODS: A secondary analysis was conducted based on the Artificial Urinary Sphincter Clinical Outcomes (AUSCO) study, a prospective multi-institutional study. Baseline characteristics, safety event rates, pad weight reduction rates, and quality of life (QOL) outcomes based on questionnaires were compared between a cohort of radiated and non-radiated patients. RESULTS: Twenty-five subjects were identified for the cohort of radiated patients. When looking at incontinence outcomes such as urge incontinence and stress incontinence events as well as pad weight reduction goals, no differences were seen between the radiated and nonradiated cohorts. Patient perception of incontinence and QOL were also not significantly different between the two cohorts. Demographic factors, adverse events, and device deficiency rates showed no significant differences as well. CONCLUSIONS: Our study showed no difference in incontinence or QOL outcomes in AUS patients with a history of radiation therapy for prostate cancer compared to those who did not receive radiation at 1 year. Further studies are necessary to identify whether radiation therapy impacts incontinence or QOL in the long term, as well as to examine whether different patient populations experience different outcomes. TRIAL REGISTRATION: National Clinical Trial (NCT) Identified Number: NCT04088331.
Chandrasekhar et al. (Tue,) studied this question.