A new study reveals the possibility of finding an effective treatment for a medical condition that causes curvature of the penis during erection, as a result of the formation of internal fibrous scar tissue that affects sexual function.
This condition, known as Peyronie's disease, can cause pain and impaired sexual function, as well as severe psychological effects in some sufferers. It is estimated that approximately 10% of men will develop this disease during their lifetime, although treatment options remain limited, particularly in the early stages.
The study, conducted by researchers from Anglia Ruskin University and University College London Hospital, found that combining phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5) inhibitors, such as sildenafil (Viagra) and tadalafil (Cialis), with selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs), such as tamoxifen, may help slow or stop the progression of the disease when used early.
The study included a clinical trial on 133 men with acute Peyronie's disease who received the combination therapy for three months, and then their results were compared to another group that received conventional care, which included vitamin E or no treatment, without any surgical intervention.
The results showed that 43% of patients who received the combined treatment experienced an improvement in penile curvature, a rate nearly three times higher than that recorded in the group that received standard care (15%).
The percentage of pain during erection also decreased significantly, dropping from 65% to 1.5% in the combination therapy group, while in the other group it decreased from 50% to 27%.
These findings are based on previous laboratory research conducted at Anglia Ruskin University, where researchers examined thousands of approved drugs with the aim of identifying substances capable of stopping the transformation of fibroblasts into cells responsible for fibrosis, the primary cause of Peyronie's disease.
PDE5 inhibitors and selective estrogen receptor modulators have emerged as the most effective compounds, especially when used together, showing a stronger effect than using each drug separately.
Researchers point out that there are currently no approved and effective oral treatments to stop the progression of the disease in its early stages, which often leaves patients in a waiting position until symptoms stabilize before resorting to treatment options such as injections or surgery.
The researchers said the initial results were encouraging, and that reusing known and safe drugs could open the door to accelerating the development of new treatments for fibrosis.
For its part, the research team explained that combining these two types of drugs could represent an important shift in understanding the disease, from merely controlling symptoms to influencing the mechanism of its development itself, while emphasizing the need for broader studies to confirm the results before the treatment is officially approved.
The study was published in the Journal of Sexual Medicine.
