Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 9, 2026
Retzius-Sparing Robot-Assisted Radical Prostatectomy
Published on: May 19, 2022
Treatment regret and quality of life following radical prostatectomy
Chelsea G Ratcliff1, Lorenzo Cohen, Curtis A Pettaway
1Department of Clinical Psychology, University of Houston, 126 Heyne Building, Houston, TX, 77204, USA.
Purpose:
Negative physical functioning outcomes including incontinence and erectile dysfunction are relatively common following radical prostatectomy (RP) and are associated with treatment regret and compromised quality of life (QOL). The role that treatment regret may have in influencing the association between prostate-specific QOL (i.e., sexual, urinary, bowl functioning) and general QOL following RP has not been examined.
Method:
This study examined the associations of treatment regret, general QOL (36-item Short Form Health Survey physical and mental health (MCS) composite scores), and prostate-specific QOL (Prostate Cancer QOL sexual, urinary, bowl functioning, and cancer worry subscales) in 95 men who underwent RP for prostate cancer.
Results:
Multiple regression analyses indicated that poorer sexual and urinary functioning was associated with poorer MCS. Additionally, men with lower sexual and urinary functioning reported greater treatment regret. Treatment regret was also associated with lower MCS. Finally, treatment regret partially mediated the effects of both sexual and urinary functioning on MCS.
Conclusions:
These findings suggest that regardless of a patient's prostate-specific QOL, reducing treatment regret may improve mental health following RP. Though there are limited options to alter patients' sexual or urinary functioning following RP, treatment regret may be a modifiable contributor to post-surgical adjustment and QOL.
