Robot-Assisted Radical Prostatectomy by the Hugo Robotic-Assisted Surgery (RAS) System and the da Vinci System: A Comparison between the Two Platforms.

OBJECTIVE: In a previous study, we proved that an experienced urologist is more likely to adapt to the Hugo RAS system. Based on this, we further examine various parameters in this study. Parameters included in this study consisted of console time, functional outcomes, and oncological outcomes. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 60 patients who underwent robot-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP) performed by a single surgeon using the da Vinci (DV) system (n = 30) or the Hugo RAS system (n = 30) between March 2023 and August 2023 were included in the analysis. The intraoperative operative time was categorized into vesicourethral anastomosis time and overall console time. Functional and oncological outcomes were documented at the 1st and 3rd postoperative months. Parametric and non-parametric methods were adopted after checking skewness and kurtosis, and an α value of 5% was used to determine the significance. RESULTS: The vesicourethral anastomosis time was significantly lengthened (Hedge's g: 0.87; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.34-1.39; J factor = 0.987). However, the overall console time was not affected. The functional (postoperative 3rd month: p = 0.130) and oncological outcomes (postoperative 3rd month: p = 0.103) were not significantly different. We also found that the adverse effect on surgical specimens and positive surgical margins was not affected (p = 0.552). CONCLUSION: During the process of adaptation, although intricate motions (such as the vesicourethral anastomosis time) would be lengthened, the overall console time would not change remarkably. In this process, the functional and oncological outcomes would not be compromised. This encourages urologists to adopt the Hugo RAS system in RARP if they have previous experiences of using the DV system, since their trifecta advantage would not be compromised.

Robot-assisted radical prostatectomy using hugo RAS system: The pioneer experience in Taiwan and Northeast Asia.

BACKGROUND: Among the novel robotic platforms, the Hugo RAS system is the second most studied platform, next to the da Vinci system, and we aim to address our experiences in radical prostatectomy (RP) with the Hugo RAS system. METHODS: We recorded our first 12 cases of prostate cancer undergoing RP with the Hugo RAS system. The median console time was 145 min and median hospital stay was 7 days. Hedge' g was applied to search for the cut-off case in four parameters in surgeries. RESULTS: Pre-console preparation was significantly improved after the first seven cases, and the console time was remarkably shortened after the first two cases. The intraoperative pause for trouble shooting was remarkably shortened after the first three cases. CONCLUSIONS: We found that RP with the Hugo RAS system was feasible, and the learning curve was short as surgeons may benefit from the previous experience with the da Vinci system.

Contemporary role of salvage lymphadenectomy in patients with recurrence following radical prostatectomy.

CONTEXT: Prostate cancer (PCa) patients with isolated clinical lymph node (LN) relapse, limited to the regional and/or retroperitoneal LNs, may represent a distinct group of patients who have a more favorable outcome than men with progression to the bone or to other visceral organs. Some data indirectly denote a beneficial impact of pelvic LN dissection on survival in these patients. OBJECTIVE: To provide an overview of the currently available literature regarding salvage LN dissection (SLND) in PCa patients with clinical relapse limited to LNs after radical prostatectomy (RP). EVIDENCE ACQUISITION: A systematic literature search was conducted using the Medline, Embase, and Web of Science databases to identify original articles, review articles, and editorials regarding SLND. Articles published between 2000 and 2012 were reviewed and selected with the consensus of all the authors. EVIDENCE SYNTHESIS: Contemporary imaging techniques, such as 11C-choline positron emission tomography and diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging, appear to enhance the accuracy in identifying LN relapse in patients with biochemical recurrence (BCR) and after RP. In these individuals, SLND can be considered as a treatment option. The currently available data suggest that SLND can delay clinical progression and postpone hormonal therapy in almost one-third of the patients, although the majority will have BCR. An accurate and attentive preoperative patient selection may help improve these outcomes. The most frequent complication after SLND was lymphorrhea (15.3%), followed by fever (14.5%) and ileus (11.2%). It is noteworthy that all examined cohorts originated from retrospective single-institution series, with limited sample size and short follow-up. Consequently, the current findings cannot be generalized and warrant further investigation in future prospective trials. CONCLUSIONS: The current data suggest that SLND represents an option in patients with disease relapse limited to the LNs after RP; however, more robust data derived from well-designed clinical trials are needed to validate the role of SLND in this selected patient population. PATIENT SUMMARY: Salvage lymph node dissection (SLND) represents a treatment option in for patients with prostate cancer relapse limited to the lymph nodes; however, more robust data derived from well-designed clinical trials are needed to validate the role of SLND in this selected patient population.

More extensive pelvic lymph node dissection improves survival in patients with node-positive prostate cancer.

BACKGROUND: The role of extended pelvic lymph node dissection (ePLND) in treating prostate cancer (PCa) patients with lymph node invasion (LNI) remains controversial. OBJECTIVE: The relationship between the number of removed lymph nodes (RLNs) and cancer-specific mortality (CSM) was tested in patients with LNI. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: We examined data of 315 pN1 PCa patients treated with radical prostatectomy (RP) and anatomically ePLND between 2000 and 2012 at one tertiary care centre. All patients received adjuvant hormonal therapy with or without adjuvant radiotherapy (aRT). OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS AND STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: Univariable and multivariable Cox regression analyses tested the relationship between RLN number and CSM rate, after adjusting to all available covariates. Survival estimates were based on the multivariable model; patients were stratified according to RLN number using points of maximum separation. RESULTS AND LIMITATIONS: The average number of RLNs was 20.8 (median: 19; interquartile range: 14-25). Mean and median follow-up were 63.1 and 54 mo, respectively. At 10-yr, the CSM-free survival rate was 74.7%, 85.9%, 92.4%, 96.0%, and 97.9% for patients with 8, 17, 26, 36, and 45 RLNs, respectively. By multivariable analyses, the number of RLNs independently predicted lower CSM rate (hazard ratio [HR]: 0.93; p=0.02). Other predictors of CSM were Gleason score 8-10 (HR: 3.3), number of positive nodes (HR: 1.2), and aRT treatment (HR: 0.26; all p ≤ 0.006). The study is limited by its retrospective nature. CONCLUSIONS: In PCa patients with LNI, the removal of a higher number of LNs during RP was associated with improvement in cancer-specific survival rate. This implies that ePLND should be considered in all patients with a significant preoperative risk of harbouring LNI. PATIENT SUMMARY: We found that removing more lymph nodes during prostate cancer surgery can significantly improve cancer-specific survival in patients with lymph node invasion.

Predicting survival of patients with node-positive prostate cancer following multimodal treatment.

BACKGROUND: According to the TNM staging system, patients with prostate cancer (PCa) with lymph node invasion (LNI) are considered a single-risk group. However, not all LNI patients share the same cancer control outcomes. OBJECTIVE: To develop and internally validate novel nomograms predicting cancer-specific mortality (CSM)-free rate in pN1 patients. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: We evaluated 1107 patients with pN1 PCa treated with radical prostatectomy, pelvic lymph node dissection, and adjuvant therapy at two tertiary care centers between 1988 and 2010. OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS AND STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: Univariable and multivariable Cox regression models tested the relationship between CSM and patient clinical and pathologic characteristics, which consisted of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) value, pathologic Gleason score, pathologic tumor stage, status of surgical margins, number of positive lymph nodes, and status of adjuvant therapy. A Cox regression coefficient-based nomogram was developed and internally validated. RESULTS AND LIMITATIONS: All 1107 patients received adjuvant hormonal therapy (aHT). Additionally, 35% of patients received adjuvant radiotherapy (aRT). The 10-yr CSM-free rate was 84% in the entire cohort and 87% in patients treated with aRT plus aHT versus 82% in patients treated with aHT alone (p=0.08). At multivariable analyses, PSA value, pathologic Gleason score, pathologic tumor stage, surgical margin status, number of positive lymph nodes, and aRT status were statistically significant predictors of CSM (all p ≤ 0.04). Based on these predictors, nomograms were developed to predict the 10-yr CSM-free rate in the overall patient population and in men with biochemical recurrence. These models showed high discrimination accuracy (79.5-83.3%) and favorable calibration characteristics. These results are limited by their retrospective nature. CONCLUSIONS: Some patients with pN1 PCa have favorable CSM-free rates at 10 yr. We developed and internally validated the first nomograms that allow an accurate prediction of the CSM-free rate in these patients at an individual level.

Comparison of contemporary methods for estimating prostate tumour volume in pathological specimens.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the accuracy of various prostate tumour volume (TV) estimation methods. To determine the most appropriate estimation method for current clinical practice. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Radical prostatectomy (RP) specimens from multiple institutions were analysed by a single uro-pathologist between September 2009 and May 2011. Tumour properties including thickness, width and length were collected and TV was established using computer-assisted image analysis (CAIA). TV estimation methods including; square, cuboidal and ellipsoidal estimations were calculated using previously reported formulae. The estimation methods were compared against the 'gold-standard' and the accuracy of identifying clinically significant tumours of TV ≥0.5 cc was determined. RESULTS: In all, 299 consecutive specimens were analysed by a single uropathologist. The median index TV on CAIA was 1.42 cc. Of the four estimation methods, the ellipsoid methods produced the closest correlation with the gold-standard (r(2) 0.91, P = 0.71). This correlation lost accuracy when larger tumours (TV >4 cc) were excluded from the analysis (r(2) = 0.73, P = 0.003). Sensitivity and specificity for identifying clinically significant tumours was 94% and 92% respectively, when using the ellipsoid estimation. CONCLUSIONS: In current uro-pathology, the ellipsoidal estimation method appears to be the most suitable for estimating TV in prostate cancers. This method is cheap, reproducible and sensitive and can be safely used as a surrogate for CAIA volumes when such technology is not available.

Survival following biochemical recurrence after radical prostatectomy and adjuvant radiotherapy in patients with prostate cancer: the impact of competing causes of mortality and patient stratification.

BACKGROUND: Data regarding the natural history of biochemical recurrence (BCR) after radical prostatectomy (RP) and adjuvant radiotherapy (aRT) are limited. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate cancer-specific (CSM) and other-cause mortality (OCM) in prostate cancer patients with BCR after RP and aRT. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: We identified 336 patients with BCR treated between 1990 and 2006 at two tertiary care centers. INTERVENTION: All patients underwent RP plus aRT. OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS AND STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: Cox regression analyses were used to evaluate the association between clinicopathologic variables and CSM. The coefficients of CSM-independent predictors were used to develop a novel nomogram. Patients were stratified into groups according to nomogram-calculated CSM probability and median age. Competing-risks survival analyses were used to estimate CSM and OCM for each group. RESULTS AND LIMITATIONS: Ten-year CSM and OCM were 21.5 and 21.7%, respectively. On multivariable analyses, short time to BCR, pathologic Gleason score ≥ 8, and positive lymph node count of more than two at RP were significantly associated with increased CSM rate (all p ≤ 0.01). These variables were used to develop a novel nomogram, which was used to stratify patients according to their 10-yr, nomogram-calculated, CSM probability: ≤ 10% versus >10-30% versus >30%. On competing-risks analysis, 10-yr CSM rate for these groups was 6%, 15%, and 42%, respectively, for patients aged ≤ 68 yr, versus 8%, 19%, and 42% for patients aged >68 yr. Likewise, 10-yr OCM rate was 24%, 9%, and 10%, respectively, for patients aged ≤ 68 yr, versus 37%, 20%, and 28%, respectively, for patients aged >68 yr. The study is limited by its retrospective design. CONCLUSIONS: Short time to BCR, pathologic Gleason score ≥ 8, and more than two positive lymph nodes were independent predictors of CSM in patients with BCR after RP and aRT. Men with these features may benefit from additional secondary therapies, ideally, in a clinical trial setting.

A critical assessment of the value of lymph node dissection at radical prostatectomy: A population-based study.

OBJECTIVE: We tested relationship between pelvic lymph node dissection (PLND) status at the time of radical prostatectomy (RP) and survival in prostate cancer (PCa) patients. METHODS: Overall, 127,824 PCa patients treated with RP between 1988 and 2006 were included. Univariable and multivariable Cox regression analyses were used to evaluate the impact of PLND status (pN0 vs. pNx vs. pN1) on cancer-specific mortality (CSM) and overall mortality (OM) rates. RESULTS: In pT2 patients, the 5-, 10-, and 15-year CSM rates were: 0.4%, 1.7%, and 3.9% for pN0, 0.6%, 2.5%, and 4.7% for pNx, 2.7%, 11.9%, and 20.6% for pN1 patients (all P < 0.001). The 5-, 10-, and 15-year OM rates were: 5.4%, 16.3%, and 34.5% for pN0, 6.1%, 18.2%, and 35.3% for pNx, 11.5%, 32.7%, and 53.4% for pN1 (all P < 0.001). In multivariable analyses, pNx and pN1 stage increased CSM rate, respectively by 1.3- and 3.8-fold (both P < 0.001) relative to pN0. Similarly, pNx and pN1 increased OM rate respectively by 1.1- and 1.6-fold (both P < 0.001) relative to pN0. In pT3 patients, pNx stage did not significantly increase CSM or OM rates relative to pN0 (both P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Patients with localized PCa treated with RP without a PLND (pNx) have less favorable survival rate than their counterparts that do not harbor lymph node invasion at PLND. However, the difference is modest (0.8% at 10 years). In consequence, the related costs and benefits of this procedure should be weighted carefully. In addition, the survival benefit of PLND was not observed in locally advanced PCa patients.

Robotic assisted radical prostatectomy: a different treatment for prostate cancer? / Prostatectomia radical robô-assistida: um tratamento diferente para câncer de próstata?

Considering the Health Care System in Brazil, a developing country, and public healthcare policies, robotic surgery is a reality to very few citizens. Therefore, robotic assisted radical prostatectomy is far removed from the daily practice of the vast majority of Brazilian urologists. Scientific evidence of the superiority of robotic assisted radical prostatectomy does not presently justify public investments for widespread development of robotic centers. Maybe over time and with reductions in costs, robotic technology will become a more established practice, as observed in other countries, and more feasible for the Brazilian urological community.

Levando em conta o Sistema de Saúde do Brasil, um país em desenvolvimento, e as políticas de saúde pública, a cirurgia robótica é uma realidade disponível a poucos cidadãos. Assim, a prostatectomia radical robô-assistida está longe da prática diária da grande maioria dos urologistas brasileiros. As evidências científicas da superioridade da prostatectomia radical assistida por robôs não justificam, no momento, os investimentos públicos para o desenvolvimento disseminado de centros de robótica. Talvez mais tarde e com redução nos custos, a tecnologia da robótica torne-se uma prática mais estabelecida, como já observado em outros países, e fique, assim, mais viável para a comunidade urológica do Brasil.

Robot-assisted radical prostatectomy in Brazil: preliminary results / Resultados iniciais da prostatectomia radical robô-assistida no Brasil

Purpose: To report the initial experience on robot-assisted radical prostatectomy in Brazil. Methods: From March 2008 to March 2009, a hundred patients were treated with robot-assisted radical prostatectomy. Patients demographic data, as well as perioperative results of the procedures, are described in this study. Results: Patients mean age and mean PSA were 58 years and 7.58 ng/ml, respectively. All procedures were performed through transperitoneal approach, with a mean bleeding of 480 mL and surgical time of 298 minutes. A surgical margin affected by cancer was present in 16% of the cases. There were four complications: bleeding requiring transfusion (two cases), rectal perforation corrected on the spot and inadequate functioning of the robot. There was no conversion to another access or obit occurrences in this caseload. Conclusions: Robot-assisted prostatectomy is a reality in Brazil and the results herein presented demonstrate that this procedure can be safely performed. Long-term follow-up is still necessary to assess the oncological and functional outcomes.

Objetivo: Relatar a experiência inicial de prostatectomia radical robô-assistida realizada no Brasil. Métodos: No período de março de 2008 a março de 2009, cem pacientes foram tratados com a prostatectomia radical robô-assistida. Os dados demográficos dos pacientes, assim como os resultados perioperatórios dos procedimentos, são descritos neste estudo. Resultados: A média de idade e PSA dos pacientes foi de 58 anos e 7,58 ng/ml, respectivamente. Todos os procedimentos foram realizados por via transperitoneal, com sangramento médio foi de 480 ml e tempo cirúrgico de 298 minutos. A presença de margem cirúrgica comprometida por câncer ocorreu em 16% dos casos. Ocorreram quatro complicações: sangramento com necessidade de transfusão (dois casos), perfuração retal corrigida no ato e funcionamento inadequado do robô. Não houve conversão para outro acesso ou óbitos nesta casuística. Conclusões: A prostatectomia robótica é uma realidade no Brasil e os resultados apresentados demonstram que este procedimento pode ser realizado com segurança. Seguimento a longo prazo ainda é necessário para avaliar os resultados oncológicos e funcionais.