March 17, 2013 redOrbit Staff & Wire Reports Your Universe Online Men suffering from prostate cancer are four times more likely to experience erectile dysfunction (ED) than those without the condition a phenomenon caused largely by the treatment process, according to the UK-based Macmillan Cancer Support charity. According to the Belfast Telegraph, the organization said there are currently about 160,000 men being treated for prostate cancer in the UK who are suffering from ED. As they went through surgery, radiotherapy and hormone treatments, it became difficult or even impossible for those men to maintain erections. In some there may be permanent nerve damage, meaning they cannot maintain an erection. In others the physical problem can be temporary while for some the treatment has led to a psychological barrier to sex, BBC News added. Macmillan Cancer Support officials said two out of every three prostate cancer patients report an inability to get an erection as a result of their therapy. These figures highlight a major issue facing prostate cancer patients after treatment, explained Professor Jane Maher, chief medical officer of the UK cancer charity. The sheer volume of men affected shows the need for careful discussions before treatment. Many can be … Continue reading →

Mar. 15, 2013 Transplantation of mesenchymal stem cells cultivated on the surface of nanofibrous meshes could be a novel therapeutic strategy against post-prostatectomy erectile dysfunction (ED), conclude the authors of a study which is to be presented at the 28th Annual EAU Congress later this week. The study was conducted by a group of Korean scientists and will be awarded 3rd prize for best abstract in non-oncology research on the opening day of the congress. During their investigation, the group aimed to examine the differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cells cultivated on the surface of nanofibrous meshes (nano-hMSCs) into neuron-like cells and repair of erectile dysfunction using their transplantation around the injured cavernous nerve (CN) of rats. "The objectives of the study reflect a very pertinent need in today's urology practice," said the lead author of the investigation Prof. Y.S. Song of Soonchunhyang University School of Medicine in South Korea. "Post-prostatectomy erectile dysfunction results from injury to the cavernous nerve that provides the autonomic input to erectile tissue. It is a common complication after radical prostatectomy which decreases the patient's quality of life." "Although advances in equipment and surgical techniques reduce this complication, patients still experience erectile dysfunction after radical … Continue reading →