New Prostate Cancer Surgery Technique Doubles Chance of Preserving Erectile Function

The NeuroSafe method offers real-time nerve-sparing during surgery, improving quality of life without compromising cancer control, but faces scalability challenges in the NHS.

• The NeuroSafe technique nearly doubles the likelihood of retaining erectile function after prostate cancer surgery compared to standard methods.
• This procedure involves real-time analysis of prostate tissue during surgery to determine if nerves can be preserved while ensuring cancer removal.
• A trial of 344 men found that 39% of those undergoing NeuroSafe had no or mild erectile dysfunction after one year, compared to 23% with standard surgery.
• The method is particularly beneficial for younger patients and those previously ineligible for nerve-sparing surgery, though it may not be suitable for all cases.
• Experts highlight the need for further research to confirm long-term efficacy and scalability across the NHS due to the procedure’s complexity and reliance on specialized pathology support.

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