Short-term therapeutic outcomes of robotic-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy for oligometastatic prostate cancer: a propensity score matching study

BACKGROUND: The role of local treatment in oligometastatic prostate cancer (PCa) is gaining interest with the oligometastases hypothesis proposed and the improvement of various surgical methods and techniques. This study aimed to compare the short-term therapeutic outcomes of robotic-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy (RALP) for oligometastatic prostate cancer (OPC) vs. localized PCa using propensity score matching. METHODS: Totally 508 consecutive patients underwent RALP as a first-line treatment. The patients were divided into two groups according to oligometastatic state: the OPC group (n = 41) or the localized PCa group (n = 467). Oligometastatic disease was defined as the presence of two or fewer suspicious lesions. The association between the oligometastatic state and therapeutic outcomes of RALP was evaluated, including biochemical recurrence (BCR) and overall survival (OS). A Cox proportional hazards model was used to assess the possible risk factors for BCR. RESULTS: Totally 41 pairs of patients were matched. The median operative time, the median blood loss, the overall positive surgical margin rate, the median post-operative hospital stays, and the post-operative urinary continence recovery rate between the two groups showed no statistical significance. The 4-year BCR survival rates of the OPC group and localized PCa group were 56.7% and 60.8%, respectively, without a significant difference (P = 0.804). The 5-year OS rates were 96.3% and 100%, respectively (P = 0.326). Additionally, the results of Cox regression showed that oligometastatic state was not an independent risk factor for BCR (P = 0.682). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings supported the safety and effectiveness of RALP in OPC. Additionally, oligometastatic state and sites did not have an adverse effect on BCR independently.