Endovideosurgical methods for treatment of local prostate cancer: Comparative functional and oncological results.

INTRODUCTION

Currently, robot-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP), extraperitoneal radical prostatectomy (ERPE), and laparoscopic radical prostatectomy (LRP) are frequently used for the treatment of localized prostate cancer.

MATERIALS AND

METHODS

The study included 2,290 patients with localized prostate cancer. All patients underwent radical prostatectomy (RPE) performed by a single surgeon using different surgical approaches: robot-assisted (RARP, n = 888), laparoscopic (LRP, n = 965), and extraperitoneal (ERPE, n = 437). Oncological outcomes were assessed based on postoperative PSA levels. Functional status was assessed using the following questionnaires: IIEF-5, ICIQ-SF, DRIP-test, and 24-h pad test.

RESULTS

In the NS group (LRP and RARP access), the operative time was (200.0 [180.0; 225.0] vs 180.0 [135.0; 230.0] min; p < 0.0001), and the volume of blood loss was (300.0 [200.0; 350.0] vs. 200.0 [150.0; 250.0]). According to the ICIQ-SF test, the presence of patients with symptoms of severe to moderate urinary incontinence (ICIQ-SF scale) in the early postoperative period (mean 9.0 [4.0; 14.0] for RARP vs 11.0 [5.0; 16.0] for LRP and 12.0 [11.0; 14.0] for ERPE, p < 0.0001) contrasted with the results 12 months after surgery, where only patients with mild to moderate urinary incontinence remained (mean 1.0 [0.0; 5.0] for RARP, 4.0 [2.0; 7.0] for LRP, and 5.0 [3.0; 8.0] for ERPE, p < 0.0001).Postoperative erectile function results were evaluated at 12, 24, and 36 months. In all three groups without the NS technique, all patients had significant erectile dysfunction (p < 0.0001). In contrast, at a median follow-up of 12 months, the postoperative questionnaire results for RARP using the NS technique averaged 14.0 [10.0; 18.0], and for LRP 9.0 [6.0; 11.0] (p < 0.0001).

CONCLUSION

Robot-assisted radical prostatectomy is the preferred method as it provides better functional outcomes. The use of the nerve-sparing technique significantly improved outcomes in terms of urinary continence and also resulted in fewer patients requiring urological pads.