Robot-Assisted vs. Laparoscopic Radical Prostatectomy for Immediate- and High-Risk Localized Prostate Cancer: A Propensity-Score Matched Analysis

Abstract Background To evaluate the functional and oncological efficacy of robot-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP) and laparoscopic radical prostatectomy (LRP) for immediate- and high-risk localized prostate cancer (PCa). Methods 232 patients bearing immediate- and high-risk localized PCa between January 2016 and October 2019 were enrolled according to the inclusion criteria. The perioperative, functional and oncological outcomes were compared between the RARP and LRP groups after applying the propensity-score matching (PM) (1:1) method, which were employed to attenuate the impact of the potential baseline confounders. Results In all, except for 10 patients without a suitable pair, the remaining patients in the LRP group were successfully matched to 85 patients in the RARP arm. All differences in preoperative variables turned to be insignificant after PM. Within the matched cohort, no open conversion was required in both groups. The RARP group was corrected with a significantly shorter mean operative time than the LRP group (p < 0.001). Patients in the RARP arm were also at a lower risk of ≤ Grade II complications than those in the LRP group (p = 0.036). Meanwhile, the proportions of transfusion and ≥ Grade II complications in the RARP group were similar to that in the LRP group (p = 0.192 and p = 1.000, respectively). No significant differences regarding the mean estimated blood loss, rates of pT3 disease and positive surgical margin, median specimen Gleason score and hospital stay length existed between the two groups. RARP vs. LRP tended to a significantly higher percentage of urinary continence at the removal of catheter (p = 0.031), postoperative 6 months (p = 0.043), and last follow-up (p = 0.046). Significant differences were also found between the RARP and LRP arms in erectile function at postoperative 6 months and last follow-up (p = 0.013 and p = 0.009, respectively). The statistical comparability between the two groups was observed in biochemical recurrence-free survival (p = 0.228). Conclusions For surgically managing immediate- and high-risk localized PCa, RARP tended to a lower risk of ≤ Grade II complications and superior functional preservation without cancer control being compromised when comparing with LRP.