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Clinical Research

Exercise maintains sexual activity in men undergoing androgen suppression for prostate cancer: a randomized controlled trial

Prostate Cancer and Prostatic Diseases volume 16, pages 170–175 (2013)Cite this article

Subjects

Abstract

Background:

Previous research has shown exercise to be an effective method to mitigate many adverse treatment-related effects of androgen suppression therapy (AST) but the potential impact of exercise on sexual activity remains unknown. The purpose of this investigation was to report the effect of a 12-week exercise program on sexual activity in prostate cancer patients undergoing AST.

Methods:

Fifty-seven prostate cancer patients undergoing AST were randomly assigned to an exercise program (resistance and aerobic modes; n=29) or usual care control (n=28). Sexual activity was assessed by the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer prostate cancer-specific quality of life questionnaire (QLQ-PR25).

Results:

QLQ-PR25 data were log transformed and analysis of covariance was used to compare sexual activity between groups following the intervention adjusted for baseline activity. No differences in sexual activity were observed between the exercise and control groups before the intervention. There was a significant (P=0.045) adjusted group difference in sexual activity following the 12-week intervention. Patients undergoing usual care decreased sexual activity while patients in the exercise program maintained their level of sexual activity. At baseline, 20.6 and 22.2% of participants in the exercise and control groups reported a major interest in sex (that is, high libido). Following the intervention, the exercise group had a significantly higher percentage of participants reporting a major interest in sex (exercise=17.2% vs control=0%; P=0.024).

Conclusions:

Participation in a short-term exercise program resulted in the maintenance of sexual activity in prostate cancer patients undergoing AST.

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Acknowledgements

We thank the Cancer Council of Western Australia for their financial support in running the study. PC thanks the Cancer Council of Western Australia for their support of her position through the postdoctoral research fellowship. DAG is funded by a Movember New Directions Development Award obtained through Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia’s Research Program. This research was supported by funding from the Cancer Council of Western Australia. Clinical trial registry: resistance and aerobic exercise for reducing treatment side effects in men receiving androgen deprivation therapy for prostate cancer; ACTRN12607000263493; http://www.anzctr.org.au/trialSearch.aspx.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Edith Cowan University Health and Wellness Institute, Edith Cowan University, Joondalup, Western Australia, Australia

    P Cormie, R U Newton, D R Taaffe, N Spry, D Joseph & D A Galvão

  2. School of Exercise and Health Sciences, Edith Cowan University, Joondalup, Western Australia, Australia

    R U Newton

  3. School of Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Newcastle, Ourimbah, New South Wales, Australia

    D R Taaffe

  4. Department of Radiation Oncology, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, Nedlands, Western Australia, Australia

    N Spry & D Joseph

  5. Faculty of Medicine, University of Western Australia, Nedlands, Western Australia, Australia

    N Spry

  6. Faculty of Surgery, University of Western Australia, Nedlands, Western Australia, Australia

    D Joseph

  7. Department of Urology, Royal Perth Hospital, Perth, Western Australia, Australia

    M Akhlil Hamid

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  1. P Cormie
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Correspondence to P Cormie.

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Cormie, P., Newton, R., Taaffe, D. et al. Exercise maintains sexual activity in men undergoing androgen suppression for prostate cancer: a randomized controlled trial. Prostate Cancer Prostatic Dis 16, 170–175 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1038/pcan.2012.52

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