Robotic Resection is a Good Prognostic Factor in Rectal Cancer Compared with Laparoscopic Resection: Long-term Survival Analysis Using Propensity Score Matching.
BACKGROUND
Robotic total mesorectal excision for rectal cancer has rapidly increased and has shown short-term outcomes comparable to conventional laparoscopic total mesorectal excision. However, data for long-term oncologic outcomes are limited.


OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study is to evaluate long-term oncologic outcomes of robotic total mesorectal excision compared with laparoscopic total mesorectal excision.


METHODS
This was a retrospective study.


METHODS
This study was conducted in a tertiary referral hospital.


METHODS
A total of 732 patients who underwent totally robotic (n = 272) and laparoscopic (n = 460) total mesorectal excision for rectal cancer were included in this study.


METHODS
We compared clinicopathologic outcomes of patients. In addition, short- and long-term outcomes and prognostic factors for survival were evaluated in the matched robotic and laparoscopic total mesorectal excision groups (224 matched pairs by propensity score).


RESULTS
Before case matching, patients in the robotic group were younger, more likely to have undergone preoperative chemoradiation, and had a lower tumor location than those in the laparoscopic group. After case matching most clinicopathologic outcomes were similar between the groups, but operative time was longer and postoperative ileus was more frequent in the robotic group. In the matched patients excluding stage IV, the overall survival, cancer-specific survival, and disease-free survival were better in the robotic group, but did not reach statistical significance. The 5-year survival rates for robotic and laparoscopic total mesorectal excision were 90.5% and 78.0% for overall survival, 90.5% and 79.5% for cancer-specific survival, and 72.6% and 68.0% for disease-free survival. In multivariate analysis, robotic surgery was a significant prognostic factor for overall survival and cancer-specific survival (p = 0.0040, HR = 0.333; p = 0.0161, HR = 0.367).


CONCLUSIONS
This study has the potential for selection bias and limited generalizability.


CONCLUSIONS
Robotic total mesorectal excision for rectal cancer showed long-term survival comparable to laparoscopic total mesorectal excision in this study. Robotic surgery was a good prognostic factor for overall survival and cancer-specific survival, suggesting potential oncologic benefits.
1Department of Surgery, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea 2Department of Statistics, Korea University College of Political Science and Economics, Seoul, Korea.
Jin
J
Kim
Se-Jin
SJ
Baek
Dong-Woo
DW
Kang
Young-Eun
YE
Roh
Jae Won
JW
Lee
Han-Deok
HD
Kwak
Jung Myun
JM
Kwak
Seon-Hahn
SH
Kim
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D000368:Aged; D059186:Chemoradiotherapy, Adjuvant; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000401:mortality*; D011379:Prognosis; D057216:Propensity Score; D012004:Rectal Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D056910:Republic of Korea; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D065287:Robotic Surgical Procedures; D016019:Survival Analysis