Influence of anticancer agents on sexual function: An in vivo study based on the US FDA Adverse Event Reporting System

Background: Patients with cancer are treated with chemotherapeutics that cause adverse effects, including erectile dysfunction (ED). Objectives: We investigated erectile function in rats after the administration of anticancer agents based on data retrieved through mining of the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Adverse Event Reporting System (AERS) database. Materials and methods: The statistical signal strength for the association between anticancer drugs and ED was calculated using the reporting odds ratio (ROR). A drug–event combination was detected when the lower limit of the 95% confidence interval (CI) of the ROR exceeded 1.00. Rats were administered anticancer agents detected in the FDA AERS analysis. Erectile function was assessed using intracavernous pressure (ICP) and mean arterial pressure (MAP) analysis after electrical stimulation of the cavernous nerve. Statistical significance was determined using Welch's t-test or two-way ANOVA. Results: Melphalan (L-PAM; ROR = 4.72, 95% CI = 2.78–8.00), vincristine (VCR; ROR = 2.47, 95% CI = 1.54–3.97), docetaxel (DTX; ROR = 2.25, 95% CI = 1.28–3.95), methotrexate (MTX; ROR = 1.96, 95% CI = 1.39–2.75), and doxorubicin (DOX; ROR = 1.82, 95% CI = 1.07–3.19) enhanced ED risk. L-PAM and MTX decreased the ICP/MAP ratio 1 week after administration. VCR and DOX decreased erectile function 4 weeks after administration. DTX decreased erectile function at all assessed time points. Discussion and conclusion: Certain anticancer agents should be considered risk factors for ED. Our results provide possible treatment strategies for maintaining erectile function in cancer survivors, including careful erectile function monitoring after treatment.