Interest of Early Erectile Rehabilitation With Sildenafil After Radiotherapy and Proctectomy for Rectal Cancer

To join this study, we are looking for men between 18 and 70 years old who are having surgery for bowel cancer that involves removing part of their rectum, after they've had radiotherapy. You must have had normal erections before your surgery, be sexually active, and have a regular sexual partner. The surgery you've had must be one where the surgeon tried to protect the nerves around the rectum.

There are also some reasons why you might not be able to join. For example, if your tumour is very large, or if you had erection problems before your surgery. If you have had prostate cancer, or if you take certain medicines like sedatives or sleeping pills, you also wouldn't be able to take part. There are medical conditions and certain medicines that mean Sildenafil isn't safe for you, so we would check for those too. Finally, if you're already in another drug trial, or if you couldn't fully understand what the study involves, you wouldn't be eligible.

If you decide to take part, you would be randomly assigned to take either Sildenafil or a dummy pill (placebo) for a period after your surgery. You would need to attend regular follow-up appointments where your sexual function and general health would be assessed. This usually involves answering questionnaires. The total duration of your participation, including follow-up, would be confirmed by the study team, but the main assessment of erection problems is at 12 months after your surgery. All details about the specific tablets and the schedule of visits will be explained thoroughly by the study staff.