To analyze safety and efficacy of robot-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP) in a low-volume centre.
From 2008 to 2015, 400 consecutive patients undergoing RARP were prospectively enrolled. Complications were classified according to the Modified Clavien System. Biochemical recurrence (BCR) was defined as two consecutive prostate-specific antigen (PSA) values ≥0.2 ng/ml. Functional outcomess were assessed using validated, self-administered questionnaires.
Median patient age was 64.5 years. Mean standard deviation (SD) preoperative PSA level was 11.3 (11.7) ng/ml. Median interquartile range (IQR) follow-up was 36 (12-48) months. Overall complication rate was 27.7% (minor complications rate 16.2%). Overall 1-, 3- and 6-year BCR-free survival rates were 85.7%, 77.5% and 53.9%, respectively; these rates were 94.1%, 86.2% and 70.1% in pT2 diseases. At follow-up, 98.4% of patients were fully continent (median (IQR) time to continence was 2 (1-3) months) and 68.2% were potent (median (IQR) time to potency of 3 (3-4) months).
RARP appears to be a valuable option for treating clinically localised prostate cancer also in a low-volume institution.
Anticancer research. 2016 Aug [Epub]
Giovanni Battista DI Pierro, Pietro Grande, Livio Mordasini, Hansjörg Danuser, Agostino Mattei
Department of Urology, Lucerne Cantonal Hospital, Lucerne, Switzerland Deptartment of Obstetrics and Gynecology Sciences and Urologic Sciences, 'Sapienza' University, Rome, Italy., Deptartment of Obstetrics and Gynecology Sciences and Urologic Sciences, 'Sapienza' University, Rome, Italy., Department of Urology, Lucerne Cantonal Hospital, Lucerne, Switzerland., Department of Urology, Lucerne Cantonal Hospital, Lucerne, Switzerland., Department of Urology, Lucerne Cantonal Hospital, Lucerne, Switzerland .