Purpose: To compare the oncological and surgical outcomes of patients with recurrent prostate cancer (PCa) who underwent either open or newly established robot-assisted salvage prostate-specific membrane antigen-radioguided surgery (PSMA-RGS).
Materials and methods: Patients who consecutively underwent PSMA-RGS for PCa recurrence between January 2021 and December 2022 were identified. The rate of complete biochemical response, biochemical recurrence-free survival [BFS], and the rate of salvage therapy were evaluated. Univariable and multivariable regression models tested the association between the surgical approach and surgical outcomes.
Results: Overall, 85 patients were selected, with 61 patients (72%) undergoing open PSMA-RGS and 24 patients (28%) receiving a robot-assisted approach. The oncological outcomes of the two groups were comparable (12-month BFS: 41% (Confidence interval (CI): 29-58%) vs. 39% (CI: 19-79%), p = 0.9, respectively). According to multivariable regression models, the robotic approach did not significantly influence estimated blood loss (EBL) (β = -40, 95% CI: -103, 22; p = 0.2) and significantly increased operative time (OT) (β = 28, 95% CI: 10, 46; p = 0.002). No Clavien-Dindo III-V complications were reported in the robotic group.
Conclusion: Both, the open as well as the robot-assisted approach for PSMA-RGS had comparable oncological outcomes. No safety concerns arose for the robotic-assisted approach offering a potentially improved quality of life for patients.
Keywords: Prostate cancer; Prostate-specific membrane antigen–radioguided surgery; Salvage lymph node dissection.
© 2023. The Author(s).