Clinical Research Directory

EREctile Function Preservation for Prostate Cancer Radiation Therapy (ERECT)

Single-arm phase II trial of 70 men with low- or intermediate-risk prostate cancer receiving magnetic resonance guided adaptive radiotherapy (MRgRT) in 5 fractions of 7.25 Gy, additionally sparing the neurovascular bundles, the internal pudendal arteries, the corpora cavernosa, and the penile bulb for erectile function preservation.

Efficacy of Low-intensity Shockwave vs Radial Wave for Treatment of Erectile Dysfunction and Pelvic Pain

The purpose of this study to perform a randomized, sham controlled analysis of the effectiveness of both fSWT and rWT in the relief of erectile dysfunction and chronic pelvic pain syndrome.

Low Intensity Shockwave Therapy for Erectile Dysfunction

Low-intensity shockwave therapy (LiSWT) has been deemed "a safe and well-tolerated procedure but its efficacy for the treatment of ED is doubtful and deserves more investigation" by the European Society of Sexual Medicine. In a similar manner, the Sexual Medicine Society of North America and American Urological Association have put forth guideline statements recommending additional investigation of this treatment modality.2 The current clinical armamentarium only treats the symptoms of erectile dysfunction without improving upon the underlying pathophysiology. LiSWT has been used effectively in musculoskeletal disorders and cardiovascular applications. Animal studies have shown improvements in angiogenesis and stem cell recruitment in other systems (cardiac and musculoskeletal) using shockwave therapy. It has been used to treat erectile dysfunction since 2010 and is widely used in Europe and throughout the world. It is gaining widespread acceptance in the United States with a relative paucity of data in regards to its effectiveness. While the majority of studies and meta-analyses show improvements in standardized erectile dysfunction questionnaires (IIEF/SHIM-Sexual Health Inventory in Men, International Index of Erectile Function-5) the durability remains unknown and many have lacked a sham-arm. In addition, many studies have failed to assess a population of men who have highly prevalent erectile dysfunction, those men undergoing prostate cancer treatment. This is a prospective, randomized, single blind, sham-controlled clinical study aimed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of low-intensity shockwave therapy (LiSWT) on symptomatic ED patients in three distinct patient populations. LiSWT has shown the potential to improve baseline erectile function but requires further study, which is the aim of this investigation.