Comparison of positive surgical margin rates in high risk prostate cancer: open versus minimally invasive radical prostatectomy

Transition from standard robotic prostatectomy to Retzius-sparing prostatectomy: feasibility and early outcomes

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

Retzius-sparing robotic-assisted radical prostatectomy (rsRARP) has gained popularity due to superior early continence outcomes compared to standard robotic prostatectomy (sRARP). We evaluate the results of a single surgeon who transitioned from sRARP to rsRARP and compare oncologic and functional outcomes.

METHODS

We retrospectively reviewed all prostatectomies performed by a single surgeon between June 2018 and October 2020. Perioperative, oncologic, and functional data were collected and analyzed. Patients who underwent sRARP were compared with those who underwent rsRARP.

RESULTS

Both groups contained 37 consecutive patients each. Preoperative patient characteristics and biopsy results were similar between the two groups. Perioperative outcomes were significant for longer operative room time and higher proportion of T3 tumors in the rsRARP group. Thirty-day complication and readmission rates were similar between groups. There was no difference in early oncologic outcomes, including positive surgical margin rate, biochemical recurrence, and need for adjuvant or salvage treatments. The time to urinary continence and immediate continence rate was superior in the rsRARP group.

CONCLUSIONS

The Retzius-sparing approach can be safely adopted by surgeons experienced in sRARP without compromising early oncologic outcomes and with the benefit of improved early continence recovery.

Surgical management of high-risk, localized prostate cancer

High-risk prostate cancer is a heterogeneous disease that lacks clear consensus on its ideal management. Historically, non-surgical treatment was the preferred strategy, and several studies demonstrated improved survival among men with high-risk disease managed with the combination of radiotherapy and androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) compared with ADT alone. However, practice trends in the past 10-15 years have shown increased use of radical prostatectomy with pelvic lymph node dissection for primary management of high-risk, localized disease. Radical prostatectomy, as a primary monotherapy, offers the potential benefits of avoiding ADT, reducing rates of symptomatic local recurrence, enabling full pathological tumour staging and potentially reducing late adverse effects such as secondary malignancy compared with radiation therapy. Retrospective studies have reported wide variability in short-term (pathological) and long-term (oncological) outcomes of radical prostatectomy. Surgical monotherapy continues to be appropriate for selected patients, whereas in others the best treatment strategy probably involves a multimodal approach. Appropriate risk stratification utilizing clinical, pathological and potentially also genomic risk data is imperative in the initial management of men with prostate cancer. However, data from ongoing and planned prospective trials are needed to identify the optimal management strategy for men with high-risk, localized prostate cancer.

Perioperative outcomes of robot-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy (RALRP) and LRP in patients with prostate cancer based on risk groups

Objective

To compare the perioperative and pathological outcomes between robot-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy (RALRP) and LRP based on the patient's risk.

Patients and methods

The medical records of 588 patients with prostate cancer who underwent RP, using minimally invasive surgery (MIS) techniques (240 LRP and 348 RALRP) by a single surgeon during January 2008 to June 2018 at the Ramathibodi Hospital, were retrospectively reviewed. The patient's risk was classified according to the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) Guideline, 2018. The demographic, perioperative, and pathological data of patients were collected. The differences in perioperative and pathological outcomes between LRP and RALRP in each risk classification were assessed using chi-square, Fisher's exact tests and logistic regression, as appropriate.

Results

In terms of positive margins, RALRP had significant advantages in high-risk patients when compared to LRP (adjusted odds ratio 0.46, 95% confidence interval 0.26-0.84), while there were no differences in the low- and intermediate-risk patients. Overall, the patients who underwent RALRP had significant advantages over those who underwent LRP in terms of operative time, estimate blood loss, and blood transfusion rate. While, adjacent organ injury rate and length of hospital stay were similar for both techniques in all subgroup analyses.

Conclusion

MIS techniques appear to be safe, especially RALRP, which has significantly better perioperative outcomes in all subgroups of patient risk classification, and in the high-risk patient group it seems to have better pathological outcomes when compared to LRP.

Abbreviations

EBL: estimated blood loss; LOS: length of hospital stay; PSM: positive surgical margin; (L)(O)(RAL)RP: (laparoscopic) (open) (robot-assisted laparoscopic) radical prostatectomy; MIS: minimally invasive surgery.

Retzius-sparing robot-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy: functional and early oncologic results in aggressive and locally advanced prostate cancer

Background

Retzius-sparing robot-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy (rsRARP) allows entire prostatectomy procedure via the pouch of Douglas. In low- and intermediate-risk prostate cancer (PCa) there is level 1 evidence that the Retzius-sparing approach impacts early continence recovery. Since specific data on aggressive and locally advanced cancer is lacking and avoiding rsRARP is presently suggested, we investigated urinary and sexual recovery, perioperative complications and early oncologic outcomes after rsRARP in this particular cohort.

Methods

Prospectively collected data of 50 consecutive men (median age 66 years) with high-risk PCa who underwent rsRARP in a single institution was analysed retrospectively. The follow-up for all patients was 12 months after surgery.

Results

3 vs. 12 months after surgery, 82% vs. 98% of men used no pad or one safety pad and 50% vs. 72% used no pad. 89% of patients did not observe a decline of continence if postoperative radiotherapy was carried out.

Considering the 17 preoperatively potent patients who underwent bi- or unilateral nerve-sparing surgery, 41% reported their first sexual intercourse within 1 year after rsRARP.

84% of patients had ≥pT3a disease and 42% positive surgical margins. A lymphadenectomy was done in 94% of patients with a median lymph node removal of 15 and lymph node metastasis in 13%.

34% underwent adjuvant radiotherapy and 22% adjuvant androgen deprivation therapy (ADT). 1-year recurrence-free survival was 96%, including 25% of patients on adjuvant or salvage ADT.

Conclusions

RsRARP in high-risk PCa is feasible and results in excellent continence rates, even after postoperative radiotherapy. The potency rates are promising but need further clarification in larger cohorts. Reliable oncologic outcomes require longterm follow-up and are awaited.

Prognostic value of selected preoperative inflammation-based scores in patients with high-risk localized prostate cancer who underwent radical prostatectomy

Background

This study investigated the prognostic value of inflammation-based scores in patients with high-risk localized prostate cancer who underwent radical prostatectomy with or without neoadjuvant androgen deprivation therapy (ADT).

Methods

Inflammation-based scores included the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), derived NLR (dNLR), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), prognostic nutritional index (PNI), and plasma fibrinogen. A total of 440 patients (380 patients treated without neoadjuvant ADT and 60 patients treated with neoadjuvant ADT) were retrospectively evaluated in our medical center. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves and Kaplan-Meier analyses were performed to compare the prognostic value of these scores. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses were also performed.

Results

For all patients, dNLR and PNI were predictive of biochemical recurrence (.=0.041 and <0.001, respectively). Subgroup analysis of neoadjuvant strategies was also performed. For patients treated with neoadjuvant ADT, no selected inflammation-based scores were significantly correlated with biochemical recurrence (.>0.05). In contrast, for patients treated without neoadjuvant ADT, NLR (area under the ROC curve [AUC] =0.576, P=0.033), dNLR (.=0.585 and 0.017), PLR (AUC =0.582, P=0.024), and PNI (AUC =0.622, P<0.001) were predictive of biochemical recurrence. Kaplan-Meier analyses showed that dNLR (.=0.044), PLR (.=0.028), and PNI (.=0.004) were significantly associated with biochemical recurrence. Based on multivariable models, PNI was an independent predictor of biochemical recurrence (hazard ratio: 0.56, 95% confidence interval: 0.35-0.90, P=0.016).

Conclusion

High dNLR, high PLR, and low PNI were associated with poor biochemical recurrence-free survival in patients undergoing radical prostatectomy for high-risk localized prostate cancer not treated with neoadjuvant ADT. In particular, PNI was an independent prognostic factor for biochemical recurrence.

Robotic vs. Retropubic radical prostatectomy in prostate cancer: A systematic review and an meta-analysis update

CONTEXT

The safety and feasibility of robotic-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP) compared with retropubic radical prostatectomy(RRP) is debated. Recently, a number of large-scale and high-quality studies have been conducted.

OBJECTIVE

To obtain a more valid assessment, we update the meta-analysis of RARP compared with RRP to assessed its safety and feasibility in treatment of prostate cancer.

METHODS

A systematic search of Medline, Embase, Pubmed, and the Cochrane Library was performed to identify studies that compared RARP with RRP. Outcomes of interest included perioperative, pathologic variables and complications.

RESULTS

78 studies assessing RARP vs. RRP were included for meta-analysis. Although patients underwent RRP have shorter operative time than RARP (WMD: 39.85 minutes; P < 0.001), patients underwent RARP have less intraoperative blood loss (WMD = -507.67ml; P < 0.001), lower blood transfusion rates (OR = 0.13; P < 0.001), shorter time to remove catheter (WMD = -3.04day; P < 0.001), shorter hospital stay (WMD = -1.62day; P < 0.001), lower PSM rates (OR:0.88; P = 0.04), fewer positive lymph nodes (OR:0.45;P < 0.001), fewer overall complications (OR:0.43; P < 0.001), higher 3- and 12-mo potent recovery rate (OR:3.19;P = 0.02; OR:2.37; P = 0.005, respectively), and lower readmission rate (OR:0.70, P = 0.03). The biochemical recurrence free survival of RARP is better than RRP (OR:1.33, P = 0.04). All the other calculated results are similar between the two groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results indicate that RARP appears to be safe and effective to its counterpart RRP in selected patients.

Pathological outcomes and biochemical recurrence-free survival after radical prostatectomy for high-risk prostate cancer in the Indian population

Introduction:

We analyzed the biochemical recurrence-free survival (BRFS) of patients with high-risk prostate cancer (HRCaP) as per the D’Amico classification undergoing radical prostatectomy (RP) at our center. We aimed to determine whether the number and type of risk factors (cT2c-T3b, prostate-specific antigen >20 ng/ml, Gleason score >7) are associated with biochemical recurrence (BCR) in HRCaP patients undergoing RP in the Indian population.

Methods:

Between 2006 and 2017, 192 patients underwent RP (open RP [ORP], laparoscopic RP [LRP], and robotic RP [RRP]) at our center, of which 109 had D’Amico HR disease. Preoperative, postoperative, and pathological outcome data were analyzed for patients with HR disease as per the D’Amico classification. Subgroups were formed to determine whether an increasing number of risk factors (1, 2, or 3) were associated with poorer oncological results and early BCR. The Kaplan–Meier method with log-rank test was used to test the difference in BRFS between the groups. Univariate and multivariate analyses were done to find significant variable against BCR.

Results:

According to the D’Amico criteria, 109 patients had HR, 63 patients had intermediate-risk, and 19 patients had low-risk disease. These 109 patients with HR disease were analyzed in our study (50 RRP, 33 ORP, and 26 LRP). A total of 59 (54.1%) patients had one HR factor (1HR), 44 (40%) had two HR factors (2HR), and 6 (5.5%) had three HR factors (3HR). The mean follow-up for our patient population was 21.5 ± 19 months (median 18 months; range, 0–108). Overall, the 2-year and 5-year BRFS was 45% and 35%, respectively (mean BRFS 46 ± 6 months). Two-year BRFS was 63%, 23%, and 22%, respectively, for 1HR, 2HR, and 3HR (logrank, P < 0.0001). The prognostic substratification based on the three risk factors was significantly predictive for adverse pathologic features and oncologic outcomes.

Conclusion:

Substratification based on the three well-defined criteria leads to a better identification of the more aggressive cancers and prediction of need for additional treatment modalities. Localized HRCaP includes a heterogeneous population of patients with variable oncological outcomes.

Robotic radical prostatectomy in high-risk prostate cancer: current perspectives

Around 20%–30% of patients diagnosed with prostate cancer (PCa) still have high-risk PCa disease (HRPC) that requires aggressive treatment. Treatment of HRPC is controversial, and multimodality therapy combining surgery, radiation therapy, and androgen deprivation therapy have been suggested. There has been a trend toward performing radical prostatectomy (RP) in HRPC and currently, robot-assisted laparoscopic RP (RARP) has become the most common approach. Number of publications related to robotic surgery in HRPC is limited in the literature. Tissue and Tumor characteristics might be different in HRPC patients compared to low-risk group and increased surgical experience for RARP is needed. Due to the current literature, RARP seems to have similar oncologic outcomes including surgical margin positivity, biochemical recurrence and recurrence-free survival rates, additional cancer therapy needs and lymph node (LN) yields with similar complication rates compared to open surgery in HRPC. In addition, decreased blood loss, lower rates of blood transfusion and shorter duration of hospital stay seem to be the advantages of robotic surgery in this particular patient group. RARP in HRPC patients seems to be safe and technically feasible with good intermediate-term oncologic results, acceptable morbidities, excellent short-term surgical and pathological outcomes and satisfactory functional results.

Role of robot-assisted radical prostatectomy in the management of high-risk prostate cancer

We aimed to evaluate the role of robot-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP) in the management of high-risk prostate cancer (PCa), with a focus on oncological, functional and perioperative outcomes. Further, we also aimed to briefly describe our novel modification to conventional RARP that allows immediate organ retrieval and examination for intra-operative surgical margin assessment. A literature search of PubMed was performed for articles on the management of high-risk PCa. Papers written in English and concerning clinical outcomes following RARP for locally advanced and high-risk PCa were selected. Outcomes data from our own center were also included. A total of 10 contemporary series were evaluated. Biopsy Gleason score ≥ 8 was the most common cause for classification of patients into the high-risk PCa group. Biochemical failure rate, in the few series that looked at long-term follow-up, varied from 9% to 26% at 1 year. The positive surgical margin rate varied from 12% to 53.3%. Urinary continence rates varied from 78% to 92% at 1 year. The overall complication rates varied from 2.4% to 30%, with anastomotic leak and lymphocele being the most common complications. Long-term data on oncological control following RARP in high-risk patients is lacking. Short-term oncological outcomes and functional outcomes are equivalent to open radical prostatectomy (RP). Safety outcomes are better in patients undergoing RARP when compared with open RP. Improved tools for predicting the presence of organ-confined disease (OCD) are available. High-risk patients with OCD would be ideal candidates for RARP and would benefit most from surgery alone.

Retropubic, laparoscopic, and robot-assisted radical prostatectomy: surgical, oncological, and functional outcomes: a systematic review

OBJECTIVES

Despite the wide diffusion of minimally invasive approaches, such as laparoscopic (LRP) and robot-assisted radical prostatectomy (RALP), few studies compare the results of these techniques with the retropubic radical prostatectomy (RRP) approach. The aim of this study is to compare the surgical, functional, and oncological outcomes and cost-effectiveness of RRP, LRP, and RALP.

METHODS

A systematic review of the literature was performed in the PubMed and Embase databases in December 2013. A 'free-text' protocol using the term 'radical prostatectomy' was applied. A total of 16,085 records were found. The authors reviewed the records to identify comparative studies to include in the review.

RESULTS

44 comparative studies were identified. With regard to the perioperative outcome, LRP and RALP were more time-consuming than RRP, but blood loss, transfusion rates, catheterisation time, hospitalisation duration, and complication rates were the most optimal in the laparoscopic approaches. With regard to the functional and oncological results, RALP was found to have the best outcomes.

CONCLUSION

Our study confirmed the well-known perioperative advantage of minimally invasive techniques; however, available data were not sufficient to prove the superiority of any surgical approach in terms of functional and oncologic outcomes. On the contrary, cost comparison clearly supports RRP.