Could treatments like Viagra bring extra benefits for men living with prostate cancer?

You’ve probably heard of Viagra and what it can do to help you get and maintain a firm erection. But we now know tablets like these could bring other benefits too.  

Erectile dysfunction (ED) affects lots of men who are living with prostate cancer. Surgery and treatments like radiotherapy and hormone therapy can all lead to side effects that might impact the way you have sex and how you feel about your body.  

Our latest published research suggests that these tablets, also known as Phosphodiesterase-5 (PDE5) inhibitors, could also help with other health conditions like: 

• diabetes 
• some heart conditions 
• urinary problems.  

Many men who are living with and after prostate cancer are also affected by these sorts of conditions. But right now, we know clinicians are under-prescribing PDE5 inhibitor tablets for these men.  

It raises the question: could clinicians use these tablets as part of a wider plan to treat several conditions at the same time, and improve men’s quality of life?  

Sophie Smith, one of our Senior Specialist Nurses and a co-author of this exciting research, takes us behind the headlines to understand what it might mean for men. 

With this research, we want to raise awareness of both the proven and potential benefits of PDE5 inhibitors – especially for men with prostate cancer.  

Often medications like these are under-prescribed – not just to the general population, but also to men with prostate cancer. So it’s important that if you’re having treatment for prostate cancer, you know that you can ask at an early stage for PDE5 inhibitors to help you enjoy a healthy and more satisfying sex life. 

Most of the studies included in the paper were observational, which means researchers simply looked at what was happening in clinics and hospitals. They didn’t try to change anything to see if it made an improvement.  

Because of this, the studies only show that there’s a link between taking PDE5 inhibitors and certain health benefits. They can’t prove that the treatment directly causes them. What they do tell us is that while men were taking PDE5 inhibitors, they experienced other benefits beyond improvements to their erectile dysfunction.  

You may have certain health conditions or medications that prevent you from taking PDE5 inhibitors, so you should always speak to your GP or hospital team first.  

If you have a condition like unstable angina or hypotension (low blood pressure), or if you’ve recently had a heart attack or stroke, PDE5 inhibitors might not be suitable for you. 

If you take nitrates – a type of drug that increases blood flow – you won’t be able to take PDE5 inhibitors either. 

But if you’re living with ED and not affected by any of these conditions, you can speak to your GP about getting a prescription for a PDE5 inhibitor. Some can even be bought over the counter after speaking to a pharmacist. If you’ve been treated for prostate cancer, just make sure you talk it through with your GP or hospital team to get the right dosages and treatment. 

It’s also important to remember that tablets like these are just one option – there are lots of others too. You could also consider using vacuum pumps, having injections or penile implants – even certain lifestyle changes can have a positive impact.  

Some of these treatments will be effective for some men more than others. You might choose to try a few different options before finding out what works best for you. If you’re interested in finding out more, you can read about the options here.