Effects of enzalutamide on the sexual activity of patients with biochemically recurrent prostate cancer: A post hoc analysis of patient-reported outcomes in the EMBARK study Journal Article


Authors: Freedland, S. J.; Mulhall, J. P.; Gleave, M.; Giorgi, U. D.; Saad, F.; Rannikko, A.; Ivanova, J. I.; Nasr, A. F.; Reisman, A. L.; Ganguli, A.; Kral, P.; Turnbull, J.; Shore, N.
Article Title: Effects of enzalutamide on the sexual activity of patients with biochemically recurrent prostate cancer: A post hoc analysis of patient-reported outcomes in the EMBARK study
Abstract: EMBARK demonstrated prolonged metastasis-free survival with enzalutamide ± leuprolide versus leuprolide alone for patients with high-risk biochemical recurrence of prostate cancer, with health-related quality of life (HRQoL) maintained. To evaluate treatment effects on sexual activity (SA), item-level analyses of SA-related HRQoL were performed. HRQoL was assessed (baseline, every 12 wk) until metastasis or death. Time to confirmed clinically meaningful deterioration (TTCD; confirmed at next visit) and longitudinal changes in HRQoL were examined using Cox regression and mixed-model repeated measures analyses, respectively. In comparison to leuprolide alone, enzalutamide monotherapy delayed TTCD in interest in sex (8.5 vs 5.6 mo; hazard ratio [HR] 0.70, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.57–0.87; p < 0.001), extent of SA (5.7 vs 3.0 mo; HR 0.69, 95% CI 0.54–0.90; p = 0.004), satisfaction with sex life (11.1 vs 5.4 mo; HR 0.61, 95% CI 0.45–0.84; p = 0.001), and erectile function (5.5 vs 2.9 mo; HR 0.67, 95% CI 0.50–0.88; p = 0.003). TTCD in SA-related HRQoL was similar with enzalutamide + leuprolide and leuprolide alone, except TTCD in erectile function was shorter by a statistically significant median of 0.1 mo (3 d), which is not clinically meaningful. Longitudinally, no clinically meaningful changes for any SA-related item were observed from baseline to week 205 in any group. SA-related HRQoL preservation seems to be better with enzalutamide monotherapy than with leuprolide alone. © 2025 The Author(s)
Keywords: adult; major clinical study; cancer recurrence; monotherapy; follow up; quality of life; sexual satisfaction; prostate cancer; leuprorelin; prostatectomy; recurrent disease; health-related quality of life; erectile dysfunction; biochemical recurrence; sildenafil; tadalafil; sexual behavior; longitudinal study; penis erection; post hoc analysis; patient-reported outcome; enzalutamide; human; male; article; nonmetastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer
Journal Title: European Urology
Volume: 87
Issue: 5
ISSN: 0302-2838
Publisher: Elsevier Science, Inc.  
Date Published: 2025-05-01
Start Page: 507
End Page: 511
Language: English
DOI: 10.1016/j.eururo.2025.02.006
PUBMED: 40016055
PROVIDER: scopus
DOI/URL:
Notes: Article -- Source: Scopus
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  1. John P Mulhall
    601 Mulhall