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TURBT was associated with persistent sexual dysfunction in men, pointing to the importance of incorporating sexual health into postoperative evaluation. 

A cohort study was published in June 2025 in the issue of World Journal of Urology and explored the impact of transurethral resection of bladder tumors (TURBT) on QoL and sexual function, addressing a gap in existing literature. 

Researchers conducted a retrospective study to evaluate sexual function and QoL following TURBT using electronic patient reported outcome questionnaires (ePROMs).  

They surveyed individuals undergoing TURBT using a digital ePROM system (Heartbeat Medical). Sexual function and QoL were evaluated at 3, 6, and 12 months after surgery using the Male/Female LUTS Sexual Function module (ICIQ-MLUTSsex/FLUTSsex) and the EORTC QLQ-NMIBC 24. Linear mixed-effects models adjusted for baseline values were applied to identify influencing factors. Repeated measures of ANOVA tested changes in domain scores over time.  

The results showed that 197 individuals completed the survey, with 77% (n=151) being male. Sexual function assessed by the ICIQ-MLUTSsex declined significantly at 3-, 6-, and 12-months following surgery compared to baseline (P=0.005; P=0.004; P=0.017). Age was recognized as the most significant factor associated with reduced male sexual function based on both ICIQ-MLUTSsex and QLQ-NMIBC24 scores (P<0.001). Subdomain analysis showed adverse effects on ejaculation (P=0.044) and urinary symptoms (P=0.031) for up to 6 months postoperatively. No significant differences were observed in the female group.  

Investigators concluded that TURBT was associated with long-term impairment of sexual function in male individuals, while no such effect was identified among females in the studied cohort. 

Source: link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00345-025-05726-x