Oncological safety and functional outcomes of testosterone replacement therapy in symptomatic adult-onset hypogonadal prostate cancer patients following robot-assisted radical prostatectomy

Testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) remains controversial in men with treated prostate cancer. We assessed its safety and functional impacts in patients after definitive surgical treatment with robotic-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP).

We performed a retrospective analysis of 1303 patients who underwent RARP during the years 2006–2019. We identified men with symptoms of andropause and low serum testosterone who received TRT post-RARP; then we divided the cohort into two groups accordingly for comparison. Biochemical recurrence (BCR) was the primary endpoint. Secondary endpoints included functional outcomes. Predictors of BCR, including the effect of TRT on BCR, were evaluated using univariable and multivariable logistic regression.

Among the forty-seven men who received TRT, the mean age was 60.83 years with a median follow-up of 48 months. Three (6.4%) and 157 (12.56%) patients experienced BCR in TRT and non-TRT groups, respectively. Baseline characteristics were similar between both groups except for higher mean BMI in the TRT group (p = 0.03). In the multivariate analysis (MVA), higher pre-RARP prostate-specific antigen (PSA) (p = 0.043), higher International Society of Urological Pathology score (p < 0.001), seminal vesical invasion (p = 0.018) and positive surgical margin (p < 0.001) were predictors of BCR. However, TRT was not (p = 0.389). In addition, there was a significant change in the Sexual Health Inventory for Men (p = 0.022), and serum testosterone level (p < 0.001) before and 6 months after initiation of TRT. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that TRT, in well-selected, closely followed, symptomatic men post-RARP is an oncologically safe and functionally effective treatment in prostate cancer patients post-RARP.