Long-term Continence Outcomes in Men Undergoing Radical Prostatectomy for Clinically Localized Prostate Cancer

BackgroundUrinary incontinence is a common short-term complication of radical prostatectomy (RP). Little is known about the long-term impact of RP on continence.ObjectiveTo elucidate the long-term progression of continence after RP.Design, setting, and participantsFrom October 2000 through September 2012, 1788 men undergoing open RP for clinically localized prostate cancer by a single surgeon at an urban tertiary care center prospectively signed consent to be followed before RP and at 3, 6, 12, 24, 96, and 120 mo after RP. A consecutive sampling method was used and all men were included in this study.InterventionMen underwent open RP.Outcome measurements and statistical analysisRegression models controlled for preoperative University of California, Los Angeles–Prostate Cancer Index urinary function score (UCLA-PCI-UFS), age, prostate-specific antigen level, Gleason score, stage, nerve-sparing status, race, and marital status were used to evaluate the association of time since RP with two dependent variables: UCLA-PCI-UFS and continence status.Results and limitationThe mean UCLA-PCI-UFS declined between 2 yr and 8 yr (83.8 vs 81.8; p = 0.007) and marginally between 8 yr and 10 yr (81.8 vs 79.6; p = 0.036) after RP, whereas continence rate did not significantly change during these intervals. Men ≥60 yr old experienced a decline in mean UCLA-PCI-UFS between 2 yr and 8 yr (p = 0.002) and a marginal decline in continence rate between 2 yr and 10 yr (p = 0.047), whereas these variables did not change significantly in men <60 yr old. These outcomes are for an experienced surgeon, so caution should be exercised in generalizing these results.ConclusionsBetween 2 yr and 10 yr after RP, there were slight decreases in mean UCLA-PCI-UFS and continence rates in this study. Men aged <60 yr had better long-term outcomes. These results provide realistic long-term continence expectations for men undergoing RP.