Robot-assisted radical prostatectomy for the treatment of radiation-resistant prostate cancer: surgical, oncological and short-term functional outcomes.

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study was to assess the surgical, oncological and short-term functional outcomes in patients undergoing salvage robot-assisted radical prostatectomy (SRARP) for the treatment of radiation-resistant prostate cancer.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

The records of 3,500 men who underwent RARP from February 2006 to July 2011 were retrospectively reviewed. All peri- and postoperative data were recorded prospectively in our database. A total of 13 patients (0.37%) who had undergone SRARP for the treatment of radiation-resistant prostate cancer were identified.

RESULTS

The primary treatment was external beam radiotherapy in 7 patients (53.8%) and brachytherapy in 6 patients (46.2%). The interval from radiotherapy to biochemical recurrence (BCR) varied from 12 to 108 months (median 48.9). Neurovascular bundle preservation was performed in 3 patients (23.1%). No intraoperative or major complications were encountered. Minor complications were encountered in 4 patients (30.7%). At 12 months, 7 patients were continent (53.8%), 3 exhibited mild incontinence (23.1%) and 3 (23.1%) were incontinent. Regarding potency, none of the patients were potent at 6 months, but 3 patients (23.1%) were potent at 1 year. Regarding BCR, 3 of the patients (23.1%) never reached a prostate-specific antigen nadir of zero, and during the follow-up period only 3 patients (23.1%) exhibited BCR. No disease-specific mortality was evident during follow-up.

CONCLUSIONS

Although early in its development, it appears that SRARP is technically feasible and offers satisfactory surgical, oncological and short-term functional outcomes.