Comparison of oncological outcomes between retropubic radical prostatectomy and robot-assisted radical prostatectomy: an analysis stratified by surgical experience.
OBJECTIVE
To compare oncological outcomes of a consecutive retropubic radical prostatectomy (RRP) and robot-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP) series performed by a single surgeon who had performed >750 prior RRPs and was starting to perform RARPs.


METHODS
Prospectively collected longitudinal data of 277 RRP and 730 RARP cases over a 5-year period were retrospectively analyzed. The RARP series were divided into 3 subgroups (1st, <250 cases; 2nd, 250-500; and 3rd, >500) according to the surgical period. The positive surgical margin (PSM) and biochemical recurrence-free survival (BCRFS) rates were compared at each pathological stage.


RESULTS
The pT2 PSM rates showed no significant difference between the RRP (7.8%) and RARP series (1st, 9.5%; 2nd, 14.1%; and 3rd, 9.8%) throughout the study period (P = 0.689, 0.079, and 0.688, respectively). Although the pT3 PSM rates of the 1st (50.6%) and 2nd RARP series (50.0%) were higher than that of the RRP series (36.0%; P = 0.044 and P = 0.069, respectively), the 3rd RARP series had a comparable pT3 PSM rate (32.4%, P = 0.641). The 3-year BCRFS rates of the RRP and RARP series were similar at each pathological stage (pT2, 92.1 vs. 96.8%, P = 0.517; pT3, 60.0 vs. 67.3%, P = 0.265, respectively).


CONCLUSIONS
The pT2 PSM and short-term BCRFS rates were similar between RRP and RARP, and RARP showed comparable pT3 PSM rate with RRP after >500 cases of surgical experience. Our data suggest that an experienced robotic surgeon at a high-volume center may achieve comparable oncological outcomes with open prostatectomy even in locally advanced disease.
Department of Urology, Eulji University Hospital, Eulji University, Daejeon, Korea.
Jinsung
J
Park
Dae-Seon
DS
Yoo
Cheryn
C
Song
Sahyun
S
Park
Sejun
S
Park
Seong Cheol
SC
Kim
Yongmee
Y
Cho
Hanjong
H
Ahn
D000368:Aged; D001706:Biopsy; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011467:Prostate / Q000473:pathology; D011468:Prostatectomy / Q000379:methods*; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012371:Robotics / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome