We aimed to report sexual and reproductive outcomes following post-chemotherapy robot-assisted retroperitoneal unilateral lymph node dissection (PC-rRPLND) for non-seminomatous germ cell tumors (NSGCTs) at a high-volume cancer center. We collected records regarding sexual and reproductive outcomes of patients undergoing unilateral PC-rRPLND for stage II NSGCTs from January 2018 to November 2021. Preoperative and postoperative (at 12 months) ejaculatory function as well as erectile function, based on the International Index of Erectile Function-5 (IIEF-5) and Erection Hardness Score (EHS), were assessed. Only patients with a pre-operative IIEF-5 of ≥22 and EHS of ≥3 were included in this analysis. Overall, 22 patients undergoing unilateral PC-rRPLND met the inclusion criteria. Of these, seven (31.8%) patients presented an andrological disorder of any type after PC-rRPLND. Specifically, retrograde ejaculation was present in three (13.6%) patients and hypospermia was present in one (4.5%) patient. Moreover, three (13.6%) patients yielded erectile dysfunction (IIEF-5 < 22 and/or EHS < 3). Lastly, two (9.1%) succeeded in naturally conceiving a child after PC-rRPLND. Retrograde ejaculation is confirmed to be one of the most common complications of PC-rRPLND. Moreover, a non-negligible number of patients experience erectile dysfunction.
Cancers. 2024 Jun 15*** epublish ***
Antonio Tufano, Simone Cilio, Gianluca Spena, Alessandro Izzo, Luigi Castaldo, Giovanni Grimaldi, Raffaele Muscariello, Dario Franzese, Giuseppe Quarto, Riccardo Autorino, Francesco Passaro, Sisto Perdonà
Uro-Gynecological Department, Istituto Nazionale Tumori di Napoli, IRCCS "G. Pascale", Via M. Semmola, 80131 Naples, Italy., Department of Neurosciences, Science of Reproduction and Odontostomatology, University of Naples Federico II, 80131 Naples, Italy., Department of Urology, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL 60612, USA.