Partial Prostatectomy for Anterior Cancer: Short-term Oncologic and Functional Outcomes.

BACKGROUND: Focal ablative therapy may be a suboptimal option for anterior prostate cancers (APCs) reaching the prostate apex due to concerns for thermal injury to the external sphincter.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the technical feasibility of anterior partial prostatectomy (APP) for isolated APCs detected by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and to report short-term oncologic and functional outcomes.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: Following institutional review board approval, over an 8-yr period (2008-2015) 17 consenting patients were enrolled in a prospective single-arm single-center Innovation, Development, Exploration, Assessment, Long-term (IDEAL) phase 2a study. Inclusion criteria comprised preurethral, low- to intermediate-risk APC diagnosed by MRI, and targeted biopsies. Robotic template APP was performed; posterolateral aspect of the submontanal urethra, peripheral zone, and periprostatic tissues were preserved intact. Median follow-up was 30 mo (interquartile range [IQR]: 25-70).

OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS AND STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: We noted the incidence of perioperative complications and examined reports of pathology, prostate-specific antigen (PSA), imaging, biopsies, and questionnaires.

RESULTS AND LIMITATIONS: Preoperatively, median PSA was 9.8 ng/ml, Gleason score was 6-7 (3 + 4), and cancer volume was 3.7cm3 (IQR: 1.7-4.6). The technique was feasible in all cases. Perioperative complications included anastomotic leak (12%; G2), urinary tract infection (6%; G2), and transient intestinal ileus in one case (6%; G2). At 3 mo, continence and potency rates were 100% and 83%, respectively. Median nadir PSA was 0.4 ng/ml (IQR: 0.3-0.7). All margins and posterolateral margins rates were 55% and 35%, respectively. APC recurrence-free survival at 2 yr was 0.86 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.55-0.96). Four patients (24%) who recurred underwent an uncomplicated completion of robot-assisted prostatectomy. Regarding limitations, CIs are quite wide for reported outcomes.

CONCLUSIONS: Robotic partial prostatectomy for isolated APC is feasible with good functional results. While promising, much more research is needed to verify our initial outcomes and appropriately position APP in the treatment paradigms for APC.

PATIENT SUMMARY: We explored a novel approach for partial prostatic surgical ablation for prostate cancer located in the anterior part of the prostate as an alternative to other focal ablative techniques.