Improved Recovery of Erectile Function in Younger Men after Radical Prostatectomy: Does it Justify Immediate Surgery in Low-risk Patients?

Younger men have better recovery of erectile function after surgery for prostate cancer. This has led to the suggestion that delaying surgery for low-risk disease may lead patients to miss a window of opportunity to recover erectile function postoperatively. We conducted a modeling study and found that predicted erectile recovery was far superior on delayed treatment because slightly better recovery in younger men is offset by a longer period of time living with poorer postoperative function in those choosing immediate surgery.