Can Treating Peyronie’s Disease Improve Mental Health?
University of Miami Miller School of Medicine researcher Dr. Manuel Molina is examining whether an FDA‑approved treatment for Peyronie’s disease can ease depression, anxiety and quality‑of‑life challenges that often go unaddressed.
A new study led by University of Miami Miller School of Medicine urologists is taking a closer look at the profound impact of Peyronie’s disease on mental health.
Peyronie’s disease, a condition caused by fibrous scar tissue that leads to abnormal penile curvature, is more common than many people realize. Yet despite its prevalence, conversations around the condition and its emotional consequences remain limited. The Miller School–led study, which is currently recruiting, aims to change that by systematically evaluating mental health outcomes in patients receiving treatment.
“Peyronie’s disease isn’t as renowned as erectile dysfunction, but there is a high prevalence of this problem everywhere,” said Manuel Molina, M.D., an andrologist at UHealth — University of Miami Health System’s Desai Sethi Urology Institute and principal investigator of the study. “The condition places a lot of psychological stress on men who have it. It impacts their marriage, their personal self-esteem.”
Peyronie’s Disease Carries a Heavy Psychological Burden
While medical literature often focuses on the physical manifestations of Peyronie’s disease, Dr. Molina says the psychological burden is just as significant and often exists in silence and isolation.
“All of the patients I’ve seen with this condition struggle,” he said, adding that patients experience depression and anxiety but delay seeking care due to stigma and lack of awareness. “Not many men are talking about this.”
A Miller School Study Focuses on Mental Health Outcomes
The prospective, observational cohort study is enrolling men diagnosed with Peyronie’s disease who are already scheduled to receive collagenase clostridium histolyticum (Xiaflex®), the only FDA‑approved medication for the condition. The treatment involves a series of injections that target the plaque responsible for penile curvature.
Participants are grouped based on disease phase — active, stable or prolonged active — and followed through treatment and post‑treatment intervals. The study does not alter standard care.
“These are patients who are already getting the medication as part of their standard of care,” Dr. Molina said. “We’re not providing counseling. We’re seeing if successful treatment improves mental health.”
That angle — the focus on mental health outcomes alongside physical improvement — distinguishes the study. Participants complete validated questionnaires assessing depression, anxiety, sexual health and overall quality of life at multiple points during and after treatment.
Researchers will analyze changes in mental health scores in relation to treatment response and disease phase, with the goal of identifying patterns that could inform future care.
Implications for Patient Care and Future Research
Dr. Molina hopes the findings will encourage clinicians to address psychological well‑being as a routine part of Peyronie’s disease care.
“We have Peyronie’s disease under control from the medical aspect, either with medication or surgery,” he said. “What we are not controlling is the psychological impact.”
Dr. Molina emphasized that the emotional consequences of the condition can be severe.
“I have patients who are suicidal because of this,” Dr. Molina said. “This is scary, really scary.”
By bringing data to an issue that has long gone unmeasured, the Miller School team hopes to reduce stigma, promote earlier intervention and support more holistic care for patients.
“This exists. This is common,” Dr. Molina said, expressing what he hopes the study results show. “And this is something you can get help for.”
Tags: Department of Urology, Desai Sethi Urology Institute, Dr. Manuel Molina, mental health, Peyronie's disease, urology