Outcomes of Salvage Robotic-assisted Radical Prostatectomy in the last decade: systematic review and perspectives of referral centers

ABSTRACT Purpose: Salvage robotic-assisted radical prostatectomy (S-RARP) has gained prominence in recent years for treating patients with cancer recurrence following non-surgical treatments of Prostate Cancer. We conducted a systematic literature review to evaluate the role and outcomes of S-RARP over the past decade. Materials and Methods: A systematic review was conducted, encompassing articles published between January 1st, 2013, and June 1st, 2023, on S-RARP outcomes. Articles were screened according to PRISMA guidelines, resulting in 33 selected studies. Data were extracted, including patient demographics, operative times, complications, functional outcomes, and oncological outcomes. Results: Among 1,630 patients from 33 studies, radiotherapy was the most common primary treatment (42%). Operative times ranged from 110 to 303 minutes, with estimated blood loss between 50 to 745 mL. Intraoperative complications occurred in 0 to 9% of cases, while postoperative complications ranged from 0 to 90% (Clavien 1-5). Continence rates varied (from 0 to 100%), and potency rates ranged from 0 to 66.7%. Positive surgical margins were reported up to 65.6%, and biochemical recurrence ranged from 0 to 57%. Conclusion: Salvage robotic-assisted radical prostatectomy in patients with cancer recurrence after previous prostate cancer treatment is safe and feasible. The literature is based on retrospective studies with inherent limitations describing low rates of intraoperative complications and small blood loss. However, potency and continence rates are largely reduced compared to the primary RARP series, despite the type of the primary treatment. Better-designed studies to assess the long-term outcomes and individually specify each primary therapy impact on the salvage treatment are still needed. Future articles should be more specific and provide more details regarding the previous therapies and S-RARP surgical techniques.

Prostatectomía radical citorreductora comparado a no realizar tratamiento local en pacientes con cáncer de próstata metastásico / Cytoreductive radical prostatectomy versus no local treatment in patients with metastatic prostate cancer

Introducción El cáncer de próstata es uno de los cánceres más frecuentes en Chile, con 8157 nuevos casos en 2020. A nivel mundial, 5 a 10% de los hombres presentan metástasis al diagnóstico, y la terapia de deprivación androgénica con o sin quimioterapia es el estándar de cuidado para estos pacientes. El uso de tratamiento local en este contexto tiene una recomendación formal debido a la falta de evi-dencia de alta calidad. Algunos estudios retrospectivos han intentado dilucidar el beneficio de la cirugía sobre el tumor primario en el contexto de la enfermedad metastásica, ya que se ha demostrado que es un tratamiento local eficaz para otras neoplasias metastá-sicas. A pesar de estos esfuerzos, el beneficio de la prostatectomía radical citorreductora como tratamiento local en estos pacientes sigue sin estar claro. Métodos Se realizó una búsqueda en Epistemonikos, la mayor base de datos de revisiones sistemáticas en salud, que se mantiene mediante el cribado de múltiples fuentes de información, incluyendo MEDLINE, EMBASE y Cochrane, entre otras. Se extrajeron los datos de las revisiones sistemáticas, se volvieron a analizar los datos de los estudios primarios, se realizó un metanálisis y se generó una tabla de resumen de resultados utilizando el enfoque GRADE. Resultados y conclusiones Se identificaron 12 revisiones sistemáticas, que incluían siete estudios primarios en total, ninguno de los cuales era un ensayo alea-torizado controlado. Sólo seis de esos siete estudios primarios se utilizaron en el resumen de resultados. A pesar de la falta de evi-dencia de alta calidad, los resultados de este resumen muestran los beneficios de realizar la cirugía en el tumor primario en términos de mortalidad por cualquier causas, mortalidad específica por cáncer y progresión de la enfermedad. También se observó un bene-ficio potencial en las complicaciones locales relacionadas con la progresión del tumor primario, lo que apoya la realización de esta intervención en pacientes con enfermedad metastásica. La ausencia de recomendaciones formales subraya la necesidad de evaluar los beneficios de la cirugía caso por caso, presentando la evidencia disponibles a los pacientes para un proceso de toma de decisiones compartido, teniendo en cuenta las futuras complicaciones locales que podrían ser difíciles de manejar.

Introduction Prostate cancer is one of the most frequent cancers in Chile, with 8157 new cases in 2020. Worldwide, 5 to 10% of men have metastatic disease at diagnosis, and androgen deprivation therapy with or without chemotherapy is the standard of care for these patients. The use of local treatment in this setting has no formal recommendation due to the lack of high- quality evidence. Some retrospective studies have sought to elucidate the benefit of surgery on the primary tumor in the setting of metastatic disease since it has been proven to be an effective local treatment for other metastatic malignant diseases. Despite these efforts, the benefit of cytoreductive radical prostatectomy as local treatment in these patients remains unclear. Methods We searched Epistemonikos, the largest database of systematic reviews in health, which is main-tained by screening multiple information sources, including MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane, among others. We extracted data from systematic reviews, reanalyzed data from primary studies, conducted a meta- analysis, and generated a summary results table using the GRADE approach. Results and conclusions We identified 12 systematic reviews, including seven studies in total, none of which was a trial. Only six of those seven primary studies were used in the results summary. Despite the lack of high- quality evidence, the results summary shows the benefits of performing surgery on the primary tumor in terms of all- cause mortality, cancer- specific mortality, and disease progression. There was also a potential benefit in local complications related to the progression of the prima-ry tumor, supporting the implementation of this intervention in patients with metastatic disease. The absence of formal recommendations highlights the need to evaluate the benefits of surgery on a case- by- case basis, presenting the available evidence to patients for a shared decision- making process and considering future local complications that could be difficult to manage.

Incidencia de la disfunción sexual eréctil asociada a la prostatectomía radical abierta y laparoscópica

Introducción: la dificultad o imposibilidad de lograr una actividad sexual satisfactoria a pesar de estar presentes las condiciones adecuadas para su desarrollo exitoso, se conoce como disfunción sexual. Si la dificultad consiste en alcanzar y mantener la erección necesaria para una penetración se produce una disfunción eréctil. Objetivo: describir la disfunción eréctil en los pacientes con cáncer de próstata sometidos a prostatectomía radical por vía abierta vs. laparoscópica, en el Hospital Universitario Comandante Faustino Pérez Hernández, de Matanzas, entre enero de 2010 y enero de 2020. Materiales y métodos: se realizó un estudio longitudinal retrospectivo en los 40 pacientes que acudieron a la Consulta Provincial de Cáncer de Próstata y les fue realizado cirugía radical, entre enero de 2010 y enero de 2020. Resultados: el 52,5 % de los pacientes tienen un promedio de edad entre 65 y 74 años. Un índice de comorbilidad de Charlson de 3 a 5 puntos predominó en un 75 % de la muestra. En la vía laparoscópica, todos los casos presentaron disfunción eréctil, siendo severa en el 50 % de ellos. El 22,5 % del total no la tuvieron, representando un 30 % de los operados por cirugía abierta. Conclusiones: la prostatectomía radical continúa siendo considerada uno de los tratamientos de elección del cáncer de próstata órgano-confinado. La causa principal de la presencia de disfunción eréctil se atribuye al procedimiento quirúrgico; la edad avanzada puede contribuir a empeorar el pronóstico y las enfermedades coadyuvantes. Son heterogéneos los resultados en la esfera sexual de la prostatectomía radical laparoscópica y la prostatectomía radical abierta, comparados con la bibliografía internacional.

Introduction: the difficulty or impossibility of achieving a successful sexual activity despite being present the adequate conditions for its successful development is known as sexual dysfunction. If the difficulty consists in reaching and maintaining the erection necessary for a penetration, erectile dysfunction occurs. Objective: to describe the erectile dysfunction in patients with prostate cancer undergoing open vs. laparoscopic radical prostatectomy, in the Comandante Faustino Perez Hernandez University Hospital, of Matanzas, between January 2010 and January 2020. Materials and methods: a longitudinal retrospective study was carried out in the 40 patients who attended Prostate Cancer Provincial Consultation and underwent radical surgery between January 2010 and January 2020. Results: 52.5% of the patients were aged between 65 and 74 on average. A Charlson comorbidity index of 3 to 5 points prevailed in 75% of the sample. In the laparoscopic pathway all the cases presented erectile dysfunction, being severe in 50% of them. 22.5% of the total did not have it, representing 30% of those operated by open surgery. Conclusions: radical prostatectomy continues to be considered one of the treatments of choice for organ-confined prostate cancer. The main cause of the presence of erectile dysfunction is attributed to the surgical procedure; advanced age can contribute to a worse prognosis and adjuvant diseases. The results in the sexual sphere of laparoscopic radical prostatectomy and open radical prostatectomy are heterogeneous compared with the international bibliography.

Differences in long-term continence rates between prostate cancer patients with extraprostatic vs. organ-confined disease undergoing robotic-assisted radical prostatectomy: An observational studys

ABSTRACT Objectives: Within the tertiary-case database, the authors tested for differences in long-term continence rates (≥ 12 months) between prostate cancer patients with extraprostatic vs. organ-confined disease who underwent Robotic-Assisted Radical Prostatectomy (RARP). Method: In the institutional tertiary-care database the authors identified prostate cancer patients who underwent RARP between 01/2014 and 01/2021. The cohort was divided into two groups based on tumor extension in the final RARP specimen: patients with extraprostatic (pT3/4) vs. organ-confined (pT2) disease. Additionally, the authors conducted subgroup analyses within both the extraprostatic and organ-confined disease groups to compare continence rates before and after the implementation of the new surgical technique, which included Full Functional-Length Urethra preservation (FFLU) and Neurovascular Structure-Adjacent Frozen-Section Examination (NeuroSAFE). Multivariable logistic regression models addressing long-term continence were used. Results: Overall, the authors identified 201 study patients of whom 75 (37 %) exhibited extraprostatic and 126 (63 %) organ-confined disease. There was no significant difference in long-term continence rates between patients with extraprostatic and organ-confined disease (77 vs. 83 %; p = 0.3). Following the implementation of FFLU+ NeuroSAFE, there was an overall improvement in continence from 67 % to 89 % (Δ = 22 %; p < 0.001). No difference in the magnitude of improved continence rates between extraprostatic vs. organ-confined disease was observed (Δ = 22 % vs. Δ = 20 %). In multivariable logistic regression models, no difference between extraprostatic vs. organ-confined disease in long-term continence was observed (Odds Ratio: 0.91; p = 0.85). Conclusion: In this tertiary-based institutional study, patients with extraprostatic and organ-confined prostate cancer exhibited comparable long-term continence rates.

Radical therapy with or without chemotherapy in highly malignant non-metastatic prostate cancer: interim analysis of a prospective non-randomized controlled study / 中华放射肿瘤学杂志

Objective:To compare the efficacy and safety of standard treatment with or without adjuvant chemotherapy in patients with highly malignant non-metastatic prostate cancer.Methods:In this prospective non-randomized controlled study, consecutive non-metastatic prostate cancer patients with pathologically proven Gleason score of 9-10 or Gleason score of 5 admitted to Peking University First Hospital were enrolled. Four to six cycles of chemotherapy using docetaxel ± carboplatin regimen were added or not after standard radical therapy. The primary end point was 5-year event-free survival (EFS), and the secondary end points were distant metastasis-free survival (MFS), overall survival (OS), and treatment-related adverse events. The survival curve was drawn by Kaplan-Meier method. The differences between two groups were analyzed by log-rank test.Results:A total of 176 patients were consecutively enrolled from November 2019 to January 2022 of which 138 patients received only standard radical therapy (control group), and 38 patients received adjuvant chemotherapy after standard radical therapy (chemotherapy group). The median follow-up time was 13.4 (2.0-34.0) months. All patients survived. The 30-month EFS rates in the chemotherapy and control groups were 100% and 85.6%, respectively ( P=0.064). There were no events in the chemotherapy group, while there were 12 cases of events in the control group, including 6 cases of biochemical recurrence and 6 cases of imaging progression. The 30-month MFS rates in two groups were 100% and 91.9%, respectively ( P=0.205). After the 1 vs. 2 propensity score matching, the EFS and MFS rates in two groups were 100% vs. 85.7% ( P=0.056), and 100% vs. 92.2% ( P=0.209), respectively. The incidence rates of grade 2 and above urinary toxicity in the chemotherapy and control groups were 2.6% and 7.2% ( P=0.354), respectively. The incidence rates of grade 2 and above rectal toxicity were 5.3% and 5.1% ( P=0.711), respectively. Grade 3 and above chemotherapy-related toxicity in the chemotherapy group were leukopenia (31.6%), thrombocytopenia (2.6%) and alopecia (13.2%). Conclusion:The addition of adjuvant chemotherapy after standard radical therapy tends to improve the overall EFS of patients with highly malignant prostate cancer, and the adverse effects are tolerable, which should be confirmed by long-term follow-up results.

Efficacy of modified anterior robot-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy with preservation of Retzius space in 10 cases / 现代泌尿外科杂志

【Objective】 To investigate the safety, feasibility and clinical efficacy of modified anterior robot-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy (RALRP) with preservation of Retzius space. 【Methods】 The clinical data of 10 patients who underwent RALRP using the modified anterior approach to preserve the Retzius space in our hospital during June 2021 and March 2022 were retrospectively analyzed, including the preoperative, intraoperative, postoperative and follow-up data. 【Results】 All operations were successful without conversion to open surgery. The average operation time (robotic arm operation time) was (98.6±47.7) min, blood loss (105.0±57.3) mL, postoperative drainage tube indwelling time (5.3±1.3) d, postoperative urinary catheter indwelling time (7.2±0.8) d, and postoperative hospital stay (9.2±2.2) d. Urinary continence was achieved immediately after removal of the urinary catheter in 6 patients, 2 patients recovered 2 weeks after extubation, and 2 patients recovered 3 months after extubation. Postoperative pathology showed pT2a stage in 1 case, pT2b stage in 2 cases, and pT2c stage in 7 cases; Gleason score was 6-7 points; all postoperative resection margins were negative. During the follow-up of 3-12 months, no tumor recurrence was observed, and no patient was readmitted due to surgical complications. 【Conclusion】 RALRP with modified anterior approach to preserve the Retzius space is safe and feasible, with no serious complications during and after surgery, and the early postoperative urinary continence effect is comparable to that of the posterior approach.

Transvesical robot-assisted radical prostatectomy: a report of 13 cases / 现代泌尿外科杂志

【Objective】 To share the technical key points and experience of transvesical robot-assisted radical prostatectomy (TvRARP). 【Methods】 The clinical data of 13 patients with prostate cancer (PCa) receiving TvRARP during Nov.2021 and May 2022 were collected. The operation time, estimated blood loss, blood transfusion rate, catheter removal time, postoperative length of hospital stay, immediate urinary continence rate, postoperative IIEF-5 score and perioperative complications were evaluated. 【Results】 The operation time was (142±39) min, estimated intraoperative blood loss was (76±40) mL, and no transfusion was needed. The median postoperative IIEF-5 score was 16 (12-22), hospital stay 3 (2-5)days, and catheter removal time 7(5-14)days. Of all 13 patients, 12(92.3%) achieved immediate urinary continence at the removal of catheter. There were no postoperative complications of Clavien Ⅲ and above. Clavien Ⅰ-Ⅱ complications were observed in 4 patients (30.8%). 【Conclusion】 TvRARP is feasible and safe for selected patients with clinically localized PCa, which can ensure promising postoperative urinary continence and preserve erectile functional.

Adjustable "paper clip" techniques suturing the dorsal vein complex in radical prostatectomy / 现代泌尿外科杂志

【Objective】 To investigate the efficacy of the adjustable "paper clip" techniques in the suture of dorsal vein complex (DVC) and retention of urethral function in robot-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy (RALRP). 【Methods】 A total of 30 cases of prostate cancer treated with RALRP were enrolled, all of which used the adjustable "paper clip" techniques. During operation, the DVC was sewed with barbed suture, and then a reverse suture was made through two sides of the prostatic ligaments. A Hem-o-lock was used to fasten the suture, which would be flexible to control the degree of tightness for the ligature. Perioperative and follow-up data of urinary continence and symptoms were collected and analyzed. 【Results】 All operations were successful. The estimated blood loss was (123.3±80.7) mL, 53.6% patients recovered continence in 1 month, and the continence rate increased to 92.9% and 96.3% at month 3 and 6. 92.9 of patients had no risk of incontinence 3 months after surgery. 【Conclusion】 The adjustable "paper clip" techniques have advantages in reducing blood loss, maintaining clear surgical field, preserving urethral function, and improving urinary continence.

Analysis of the clinical efficacy and safety of laparoscopic radical prostatectomy in prostate cancer patients aged 80 years or older / 现代泌尿外科杂志

【Objective】 To investigate the clinical efficacy and safety of laparoscopic radical prostatectomy in elderly prostate cancer patients aged ≥80 years in good health. 【Methods】 A total of 18 octogenarian patients who underwent laparoscopic radical prostatectomy during Aug.2016 and Mar.2020 at our hospital were selected for retrospective analysis. 【Results】 The patients were 80 to 86 years old. The preoperative serum PSA was 5.25-101.00 ng/mL. There were 2 cases in stage cT1N0M0,12 in stagec T2N0M0 and 4 in stage cT3N0M. The Gleason score was ≤6 in 4 cases,=7 in 9 cases,and ≥8 in 5 cases. During the follow-up of 22 to 65 months,the rates of urinary incontinence at 1 month,3 months,6 months,and 1 year were 50.00% (9/18),33.33% (6/18),16.67% (3/18) and 5.56 %(1/18),respectively. The postoperative urinary control recovery time was 1 to 220 days. Positive incision margin developed in 3 cases and biochemical recurrence occurred in 3 cases. The IPSS score at 3, 6 months and 1 year after surgery were lower than these before surgery (P<0.05). The overall health score of the FACD-P scale at 6 months after surgery was higher than that before surgery (P<0.05). 【Conclusion】 For well selected octogenarian prostate cancer patients in good condition,laparoscopic radical prostatectomy is a feasible,safe and effective treatment option,but long-term follow-up and prospective clinical studies with large sample size are still needed to confirm its efficacy.

Efficacy of modified prostate tip separation technique combined with laparoscopic radical prostatectomy based on propensity score matching / 现代泌尿外科杂志

【Objective】 To explore the efficacy of modified prostate tip separation technique combined with laparoscopic radical prostatectomy based on propensity score matching (PSM) in the treatment of prostate cancer. 【Methods】 A total of 74 prostate cancer patients treated during Jan.2019 and Dec.2022 with modified prostate tip separation technique combined with laparoscopic radical prostatectomy were included in the combined group, and another 63 prostate cancer patients treated during the same period with laparoscopic radical prostatectomy were selected as the control group. Altogether 58 pairs of patients were matched with PSM. The perioperative indicators, incidence of complications, urinary control function and sexual function before and one month after surgery between the two groups after matching were compared. 【Results】 There were no statistically significant differences in general data between the two groups (P>0.05). One month after operation, the scores of the International Urinary Incontinence Questionnaire (ICIQ-SF) and International Erectile Function Questionnaire (IIEF-5) in both groups decreased, while the Expanded Prostate Cancer Index Composite (EPIC-UIN) and International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) in both groups increased (P<0.05). The scores of ICIQ-SF [(9.02±1.98) vs. (11.38±2.04)] and IPSS [(19.67±4.19) vs. (21.68±4.23)] were lower in the combined group than in the control group (P<0.05), while the scores of EPIC-UIN [(70.49±6.82) vs. (63.34±6.48)] and IIEF-5 [(18.17±1.73) vs. (16.72±1.58)] were higher in the combined group than in the control group (P<0.05). Compared with the control group, the combined group had shorter catheter retention time [(7.38±1.97) d vs. (5.11±1.82) d] and hospital stay [(13.18±2.23) d vs. (11.74±2.09) d], lower incidence of complications (22.41% vs. 6.90%), and higher positive rate of incision margin (8.62% vs. 20.69%) (P<0.05). 【Conclusion】 PSM can balance the differences between groups. The modified prostate tip separation technique combined with laparoscopic radical prostatectomy can improve the urinary control function, have little impact on sexual function, and cause fewer postoperative complications. However, the risk of positive incision margin is high, and further modification is needed to achieve the best therapeutic effects.

Urinary continence-related structures and intraoperative protective techniques in radical prostatectomy / 现代泌尿外科杂志

Radical prostatectomy (RP) is the standard treatment for patients with early-stage of prostate cancer,but often causes urinary incontinence and other complications, which harm patients’ quality of life. The protection and reconstruction of urinary continence-related structures during the operation are significant approaches to reduce the incidence of urinary incontinence and restore urinary continence. This article reviewed the surgical approaches of radical prostatectomy, anatomy of urinary continence-related structures (bladder neck, functional urethra, supporting structures, nerves and vessels) and the protective skills,hoping to provide reference for the treatment of early-stage prostate cancer.

Propensity-matched analysis comparing the peri- and post-operative outcomes of side-docking versus standard lithotomy docking for robot-assisted radical prostatectomy

Introduction@#Limited access to the perineum and limited operating room space are just some of the limitations of the standard lithotomy docking for robot-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP-LD). The side-docking technique (RARP-SD) may address these problems.@*Methods@#Thirty cases of robot-assisted radical prostatectomy were matched to 120 cases of RARP-LD cases by propensity scoring using age, body mass index (BMI), clinical T stage, biopsy Gleason score, and ultrasound prostate volume. Operative and docking time, complications were used to compare peri-operative and safety outcomes.@*Results@#Evaluation of 30 RARP-LD and 30 RARP-SD cases was done after propensity matching. Patient age, BMI, clinical T stage, biopsy Gleason score, and prostate volume were similar between the two groups (p>0.050). The mean docking time of RARP-SD is shorter than that of RARP-LD cases (7.56 vs. 4.12, p <0.001), but this did not translate to a shorter operative time. There were less peri-operative complications in the RARP-SD cases.@*Conclusions@#RARP-SD has a docking time and produces less complication than RARP-LD.

Analysis of biochemical failure rate and its influencing factors in patients with high-risk localized prostate cancer after radical prostatectomy / 中华泌尿外科杂志

Objective:To analyze the biochemical failure rate and its predictive factors after radical prostatectomy (RP) in patients with high-risk localized prostate cancer.Methods:The data of 166 patients with high-risk localized prostate cancer who underwent RP surgery in Peking university cancer hospital from January 2015 to November 2021 were retrospectively reviewed. The average age was 65.4±6.2 years old, and the average body mass index (BMI) was 24.86±3.23 kg/m 2. The median prostate-specific antigen (PSA) was 19.84 (10.98, 44.47) ng/ml, PSA density was 0.68 (0.34, 1.32)ng/ml 2, and prostate volume was 31.20 (25.58, 40.23) ml. Biopsy pathology Gleason score according to the International society of Urological Pathology(ISUP) grade group: 18 cases of group 1, 33 cases of group 2, 30 cases of group 3, 51 cases of group 4, and 33 cases of group 5, 1 case was unknown. The percentage of puncture positive needles was (55.4±25.7)%, and the largest linear length of positive lesions was 80.0% (60.0%, 90.0%). Preoperative clinical stage : 14 cases in ≤T 2b stage, 117 cases in T 2c stage, 13 cases in T 3a stage and 22 cases in ≥T 3b stage; 157 cases in N 0 stage, 9 cases in N 1 stage. One hundred and three patients (62.0%) were assessed by traditional imaging and 63(38.0%) were assessed by PSMA PET-CT. The patients underwent laparoscopic radical prostatectomy. 64 patients (38.6%) received neoadjuvant therapy, including 37 received neoadjuvant therapy for 1-3 months, 23 for 4-6 months and 4 for over 6 months. The postoperative pathological characteristics, treatment and prognosis of the patients were analyzed. The primary endpoint was biochemical failure, including biochemical persistence(BCP, defined as PSA≥0.1ng/ml at 4-6 weeks after operation, and confirmed by re-examination at least 1 week interval) and biochemical recurrence(BCR, PSA falling below 0.1ng/ml after operation and then rising ≥0.2 ng/ml without adjuvant therapy or after the end of adjuvant treatment). Results:Compared with preoperative clinicopathological characteristics, 48(28.9%) cases had postoperative pathological ISUP upgrade, 98 (59.0%)cases had T stage upgrade, and 13 (7.8%) cases had N stage upgrade. The rate of positive margins was 53%, and apex margin was the most common positive site (65.9%). The postoperative PSA in 114 patients (68.7%) decreased to less than 0.1ng/ml, of which 74 patients didn't receive the therapy and 40 patients received adjuvant therapy. 52 patients (31.3%) had postoperative PSA more than 0.1ng/ml and among them, 51 cases received salvage treatment. 5 patients (3.0%) underwent PSA progression during adjuvant or salvage endocrine therapy and were considered to have castration resistance. After a median follow-up time of 25.5 (12.0, 40.0) months, 78 patients (48.4%, 78/161) experienced biochemical failure, including 49 BCP and 29 BCR, the median time of biochemical failure was 30.0 (95% CI 14.5-45.5) months. Adjuvant therapy could reduce the rate of BCR (31.1% and 15.8%, P=0.08). Baseline PSA, PSA density, proportion of pathological ISUP ≥4, proportion of pathological T stage ≥T 3a, adjuvant therapy, and positive surgical margins were significantly associated with biochemical failure ( P=0.034, 0.002, 0.004, 0.025, <0.001and 0.047). Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that adjuvant therapy ( P<0.001, OR=0.12), PSA density ( P=0.03, OR=1.19) and positive surgical margins ( P=0.034, OR=1.80) were independent factors for biochemical failure. Conclusions:Patients with high-risk localized prostate cancer have a high rate of biochemical failure after RP and need to receive RP-based multimodal therapy. Adjuvant therapy, PSA density and positive surgical margins are independent factors associated with postoperative biochemical failure.

Clinical observation on electroacupuncture at "four points of sacral region" on moderate to severe stress urinary incontinence after radical prostatectomy / 中国针灸

OBJECTIVE@#To compare the clinical therapeutic effect between electroacupuncture at "four points of sacral region" and transurethral Erbium laser in treatment of moderate to severe stress urinary incontinence after radical prostatectomy.@*METHODS@#A total of 68 patients of moderate to severe stress urinary incontinence after radical prostatectomy were divided into an electroacupuncture group (34 cases) and an Erbium laser group (34 cases, 3 cases dropped off) according to the settings. In the electroacupuncture group, electroacupuncture was applied at "four points of sacral region", i.e. points of 0.5 cun beside bilateral sacrococcygeal joints and bilateral Huiyang (BL 35), with continuous wave, 2 Hz in frequency, 60 min each time, once every other day, 3 times a week, 12 times as one course of treatment. In the Erbium laser group, transurethral Erbium laser technology was given, once every 4 weeks as one course of treatment. Both groups were treated for 5 courses. The scores of the International Consultation on Incontinence questionnaire-short form (ICI-Q-SF) and the incontinence quality of life questionnaire (I-QOL) were observed before treatment, after each course of treatment and in follow-up after 1 and 2 months of treatment completion, respectively, and the clinical efficacy was evaluated after treatment in the two groups.@*RESULTS@#Compared with those before treatment, the ICI-Q-SF scores were decreased while the I-QOL scores were increased after 5 courses of treatment and in follow-up after 1, 2 months of treatment completion in the two groups (P<0.01). The ICI-Q-SF score in follow-up after 2 months of treatment completion were higher than that after 5 courses of treatment in the Erbium laser group (P<0.05). After 3, 4, 5 courses of treatment and in follow-up after 1 and 2 months of treatment completion, the ICI-Q-SF scores in the electroacupuncture group were lower than those in the Erbium laser group (P<0.05, P<0.01); after 2, 3, 4, 5 courses of treatment and in follow-up after 1 and 2 months of treatment completion, the I-QOL scores in the electroacupuncture group were higher than those in the Erbium laser group (P<0.01). The change ranges of ICI-Q-SF score and I-QOL score between before treatment and after each course of treatment in the electroacupuncture group were lager than those in the Erbium laser group (P<0.01, P<0.05). The total effective rate was 61.8% (21/34) in the electroacupuncture group, which was superior to 19.4 (6/31) in the Erbium laser group (P<0.01).@*CONCLUSION@#Both electroacupuncture at "four points of sacral region" and transurethral Erbium laser can improve the clinical symptoms and the quality of life in patients of moderate to severe stress urinary incontinence after radical prostatectomy. The short-term efficacy and long-term efficacy of electroacupuncture are superior to the Erbium laser technology.

Neoadjuvant radiohormonal therapy for oligo-metastatic prostate cancer: safety and efficacy outcomes from an open-label, dose-escalation, single-center, phase I/II clinical trial / 医学前沿

To evaluate the safety and efficacy of neoadjuvant radiohormonal therapy for oligometastatic prostate cancer (OMPC), we conducted a 3 + 3 dose escalation, prospective, phase I/II, single-arm clinical trial (CHiCTR1900025743), in which long-term neoadjuvant androgen deprivation was adopted 1 month before radiotherapy, comprising intensity modulated radiotherapy to the pelvis, and stereotactic body radiation therapy to all extra-pelvic bone metastases for 4-7 weeks, at 39.6, 45, 50.4, and 54 Gy. Robotic-assisted radical prostatectomy was performed after 5-14 weeks. The primary outcome was treatment-related toxicities and adverse events; secondary outcomes were radiological treatment response, positive surgical margin (pSM), postoperative prostate-specific antigen (PSA), pathological down-grading and tumor regression grade, and survival parameters. Twelve patients were recruited from March 2019 to February 2020, aging 66.2 years in average (range, 52-80). Median baseline PSA was 62.0 ng/mL. All underwent RARP successfully without open conversions. Ten patients recorded pathological tumor down-staging (83.3%), and 5 (41.7%) with cN1 recorded negative regional lymph nodes on final pathology. 66.7% (8/12) recorded tumor regression grading (TRG) -I and 25% (3/12) recorded TRG-II. Median follow-up was 16.5 months. Mean radiological progression-free survival (RPFS) was 21.3 months, with 2-year RPFS of 83.3%. In all, neoadjuvant radiohormonal therapy is well tolerated for oligometastatic prostate cancer.

Outcomes of radical prostatectomy in a 20-year localized prostate cancer single institution series in China / 亚洲男科学杂志(英文版)

The long-term survival outcomes of radical prostatectomy (RP) in Chinese prostate cancer (PCa) patients are poorly understood. We conducted a single-center, retrospective analysis of patients undergoing RP to study the prognostic value of pathological and surgical information. From April 1998 to February 2022, 782 patients undergoing RP at Queen Mary Hospital of The University of Hong Kong (Hong Kong, China) were included in our study. Multivariable Cox regression analysis and Kaplan-Meier analysis with stratification were performed. The 5-year, 10-year, and 15-year overall survival (OS) rates were 96.6%, 86.8%, and 70.6%, respectively, while the 5-year, 10-year, and 15-year PCa-specific survival (PSS) rates were 99.7%, 98.6%, and 97.8%, respectively. Surgical International Society of Urological Pathology PCa grades (ISUP Grade Group) ≥4 was significantly associated with poorer PSS (hazard ratio [HR] = 8.52, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.42-51.25, P = 0.02). Pathological T3 stage was not significantly associated with PSS or OS in our cohort. Lymph node invasion and extracapsular extension might be associated with worse PSS (HR = 20.30, 95% CI: 1.22-336.38, P = 0.04; and HR = 7.29, 95% CI: 1.22-43.64, P = 0.03, respectively). Different surgical approaches (open, laparoscopic, or robotic-assisted) had similar outcomes in terms of PSS and OS. In conclusion, we report the longest timespan follow-up of Chinese PCa patients after RP with different approaches.

Adjuvant versus early Salvage radiation therapy for prostate cancer with adverse pathological features on radical prostatectomy—Do we finally have an answer?

Background: The presence of adverse pathological features like extraprostatic extension, seminal vesicle involvement, or positive margins at radical prostatectomy incurs a high risk of postoperative recurrence. Currently, adjuvant radiotherapy (ART) is the standard of care in these patients, while early salvage radiotherapy (eSRT) is a potential alternative strategy. Aims: The purpose of this paper is to review the latest evidence comparing outcomes of adjuvant versus early SRT in this clinical scenario. Materials and Methods: A systematic review of Google Scholar, PubMed/Medline, and EMBASE was done to identify relevant studies published in the English language, regarding outcomes of adjuvant radiotherapy and early SRT in post radical prostatectomy patients. Twelve studies, including six randomized trials, four retrospective studies, one systematic review, and one metanalysis were included in the final analysis. Results: We found that initial randomized trials demonstrated better event?free survival with adjuvant radiotherapy when compared to observation alone. However, ART was associated with increased risk of overtreatment and thus increased radiation?related toxicity rates. Conclusion: Preliminary evidence from recently reported RCTs suggests that eSRT may provide equivalent oncological outcomes to ART in prostate cancer patients with adverse pathology on radical prostatectomy while decreasing unnecessary treatment and radiation?related toxicity in a significant proportion of patients. However, the final verdict would be delivered after the long?term metastasis?free survival and overall survival outcomes are available.

Association between fecal incontinence and lower urinary tract symptoms and their impact on the quality of life of patients with prostate cancer

Objective: To evaluate the association of fecal incontinence (FI) and lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) in patients diagnosed with initial prostate cancer (PC) and after any therapeutic approach (surgery and radiotherapy). Methods: Cross-sectional study using the Cleveland Clinic Incontinence Score (CCIS), the Fecal Incontinence Quality of Life (FIQL) questionnaire, and the International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire Overactive Bladder (ICIQ-OAB). Results: A total of 84 patients with PC were included: 40 of them had not started treatment, 31 were submitted to radical prostatectomy (RP), and 13 were submitted to radiotherapy (RT). Those submitted to RT presented higher scores on the ICIQ-OAB (p=0.01). When comparing the whole sample reagarding the patients with and without FI, we observed that the incontinents presented a higher frequency of urinary incontinence (UI) (p<0.001). Moreover, when comparing patients with/without FI within their treatment groups regarding the presence of UI and FIQL scores, we identified that patients undergoing RP presented an association between UI and FI (p<0.001) and a greater impact of FI on the FIQL (p<0.001). Conclusion: Patients submitted to RT present more intense LUTS. Moreover, patients with FI present a higher association with UI, and this association is more marked in those with FI submitted to RP. (AU)

Interventional embolization treatment of pelvic lymphatic leakage after radical prostatectomy two cases report / 中华泌尿外科杂志

Lymphatic leakage and lymphatic cysts are common complications after radical resection of middle- and high-risk prostate cancer. There are many treatment methods but the effect is not accurate. This article reports two patients who were diagnosed by lipiodol lymphangiography under ultrasound guidance and used a mixture of n-butyl cyanoacrylate and lipiodol to embolize lymphatic leakage. Among them, one patient achieved success after one session of interventional embolization. Another patient achieved success after 3 interventions and embolization. Two patients had no complications related to lymphatic interventional therapy, and no lymphatic leakage recurred during the 3-month follow-up. Ultrasound-guided lymphangiography and lymphatic embolization through the inguinal lymph nodes are a feasible option for the treatment of refractory lymphoma leakage

Effect of lymphovascular invasion on biochemical recurrence in patients treated with radical prostatectomy / 中华泌尿外科杂志

Objective:To investigate the effect of lymphovascular invasion (LVI) on biochemical recurrence in patients treated with radical prostatectomy (RP).Methods:From June 2012 to November 2020, 403 cases treated with RP in the Second Hospital of Tianjin Medical University were analyzed retrospectively. Median age was 67 (range 47-81) years old. Median prostate specific antigen (PSA) was 18.0 (range 1.9-813.0) ng/ml. All patients received prostate biopsy and were confirmed with prostatic acinar adenocarcinoma according to pathology. The Gleason score of 44 (10.9%) cases were 6, 65 (16.1%) cases were 3+ 4, 62 (15.4%) cases were 4+ 3, and 232 (57.5%) cases were ≥8. 73 (18.1%) patients received neoadjuvant hormonal therapy. RP and pelvic lymph node dissection were carried out in all patients including 10 open surgery, 144 laparoscopic surgery and 249 robot-assisted laparoscopic surgery. The χ 2 test was used to analyze the correlation between LVI and clinicopathological characteristics. Kaplan-Meier method and log-rank test were used to summarize time-to-biochemical recurrence end point and compare biochemical recurrence-free survival between LVI positive and negative groups. Univariable and multivariable analyses were performed to test the possible factors of biochemical recurrence with Cox proportional-hazard model. Results:Of all 403 patients treated with RP, the final Gleason score of 68 (16.9%) cases were≤6, 87 (21.6%) cases were 3+ 4, 89 (22.1%) cases were 4+ 3, and 159 (39.5%) cases were≥8. 179 (44.4%) patients had positive surgical margins. The rate of seminal vesicle invasion was 23.6% (95 patients). There were 167 (41.4%) cases with T 1~2 and 236 (58.6%) cases with T 3~4 pathological stage. 39 (9.7%) patients had lymph node metastasis. 62 (15.4%) patients were LVI positive and 341 (84.6%) patients were LVI negative. There were statistically significant differences in biopsy and final Gleason score, pathological stage, rates of seminal vesicle invasion and rates of positive lymph node between LVI positive and negative patients ( P<0.05). 259 (64.3%) patients received adjuvant hormonal therapy and 70 (17.4%) patients received adjuvant hormonal plus radiation therapy. Median follow-up time was 22 (range 6-89) months. 23 (37.1%) occurred biochemical recurrence in LVI positive cases and median biochemical recurrence-free survival was 41 months. Meanwhile, 71 (20.8%) occurred biochemical recurrence in LVI negative cases and median biochemical recurrence-free survival was not reached, significantly longer than LVI positive cases ( P<0.001). Multivariable analysis showed that PSA level, biopsy gleason score, neoadjuvant hormonal therapy, pathological stage, positive surgical margins, seminal vesicle invasion, lymph node metastasis and LVI were significantly associated with prognostic prediction of biochemical recurrence. Conclusions:LVI implies shorter biochemical recurrence-free survival and could be an independent predictor on biochemical recurrence in patients treated with RP.