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Potency-Sparing Radiation: Myth or Reality?

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Sexual Function in the Prostate Cancer Patient

Part of the book series: Current Clinical Urology ((CCU))

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Abstract

The chapter title aptly defines the fact that potency preservation following radiation therapy is not an established technique, in contrast to potency preservation through nerve-sparing prostatectomy. No prospective trials that define and prove the efficacy of potency preservation strategies have been completed, and controversies regarding the critical target and mechanism remain unsettled. The technical capability to profoundly limit dose to any defined structure through advanced planning such as intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) means that as the critical structures are defined dose limitation will be possible. Given this technical capability and the growing literature defining the critical targets, potency preservation following radiation is likely to move from myth to reality in the near future.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Michigan, Assarian Cancer Center, Novi, MI, USA

    P. William McLaughlin

  2. Wheeling Center for Radiation Therapy, WV, USA

    Gregory Merrick

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  2. Gregory Merrick
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    © 2009 Humana Press, a part of Springer Science+Business Media, LLC

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    McLaughlin, P.W., Merrick, G. (2009). Potency-Sparing Radiation: Myth or Reality?. In: Mulhall, J. (eds) Sexual Function in the Prostate Cancer Patient. Current Clinical Urology. Humana Press. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-60327-555-2_7

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    • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-60327-555-2_7

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    • Publisher Name: Humana Press

    • Print ISBN: 978-1-60327-554-5

    • Online ISBN: 978-1-60327-555-2

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