Background/Aims: To evaluate perioperative parameters, early functional outcomes, and the safety profile of holmium laser enucleation of the prostate learning curves with and without mentoring. Methods: The learning curves of 2 surgeons of their first 100 consecutive patients treated with holmium laser enucleation of the prostate were retrospectively analyzed. We analyzed demographic parameters, clinical outcomes, adverse events, and the progress during each learning experience. Results: The only statistically significant differences between the two learning curves were found for operation time (138.2 ± 60.7 vs. 98.2 ± 37.7 min; p < 0.001) in favor of the supervised approach, the total weight of resected prostatic tissue (81.5 ± 50.5 vs. 65.0 ± 6.7 g; p < 0.001) with more tissue removal by the surgeon without guidance, and the perioperative hemoglobin drop (1.9 ± 1.4 vs. 1.1 ± 1.0 g/dl; p < 0.001) in favor of the learning curve with a training programme. In multivariate logistic regression, the time factor was independently associated with a higher drop in hemoglobin levels (OR 1.015; 95% CI 1.000-1.023; p = 0.001). The improvements of clinical outcomes as determined by International Prostate Symptom Score, quality of life, peak urinary flow rate and postvoid residual volume were comparable. After the first 50 procedures the mean operation time significantly improved from 147 to 107.5 minutes for the learning curve without supervision (p < 0.001), whereas the surgical time was consistent throughout the 100 cases with a mentoring programme. The overall incidence of treatment-related adverse events was significantly higher without the training programme (16 vs. 5%; p = 0.008). Conclusions: Our study clearly showed the benefits of a structured training programme to overcome the steep learning curve.

New imaging technologies play a pivotal role in the current management of patients with prostate cancer. Robotic assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP) is a standard of care for localized disease and through the already imaging-based console subject of research towards combinations of imaging technologies and RARP as well as their impact on surgical outcomes. Therefore, we aimed to provide a comprehensive analysis of the currently available literature for new imaging technologies for RARP. On 24 January 2023, we performed a systematic review of the current literature on Pubmed, Scopus and Web of Science according to the PRISMA guidelines and Oxford levels of evidence. A total of 46 studies were identified of which 19 studies focus on imaging of the primary tumor, 12 studies on the intraoperative tumor detection of lymph nodes and 15 studies on the training of surgeons. While the feasibility of combined approaches using new imaging technologies including MRI, PSMA-PET CT or intraoperatively applied radioactive and fluorescent dyes has been demonstrated, the prospective confirmation of improvements in surgical outcomes is currently ongoing.

Purpose: Introduction of robot-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP) has revolutionized the therapeutic landscape of organ-confined prostate cancer (PCa). However, comparative analyses focused on health-related quality of life (HRQOL) after RARP and open retropubic prostatectomy (ORP) are sparse. Methods: In the current retrospective analysis,inclusion criteria encompassed PSA ≤ 10 ng/ml, ≤ pT2c, ISUP ≤ 3, age ≤ 65 years, and preoperative continence. A propensity score-matched patient cohort [n = 418 (ORP: 209, RARP: 209)] was created and HRQOL was prospectively assessed based on validated questionnaires (EORTC QLQ-C30) preoperatively, 3 months, 12 months, and 24 months postoperatively. Primary endpoint was good general HRQOL based on previously published cut-off values. Erectile function was measured via IIEF-5, urinary continence via ICIQ-SF questionnaire. Multivariable analysis included binary logistic regression models (p < 0.05). Results: Open retropubic prostatectomy and RARP cohorts were well balanced. General HRQOL was significantly higher for ORP compared to RARP after 3 months (70.1 vs. 61.6, p = 0.001), but not at the remaining follow-up time points. There were no significant differences for the remaining QLQ-C30 functioning and symptom scores. In multivariable analysis stratified for IIEF-5 and ICIQ-SF scores and surgeon experience, RARP could be confirmed as a marginally independent predictor for lower ratios of good general HRQOL after 3 months (OR 0.464, 95% CI 0.215–0.999; p = 0.050) without any differences at the remaining time points. Conclusions: The current study addresses various HRQOL outcomes over a postoperative period of up to 2 years in a homogenous propensity score-matched contemporary cohort. Marginally better general HRQOL outcomes could be detected for ORP compared to RARP 3 months postoperatively.

(1) Background: local treatment of the primary tumor has become a valid therapeutic option in de-novo oligo-metastatic prostate cancer (PC). However, evidence regarding radical prostatectomy (RP) in this setting is still subpar, and the effect of cytoreductive RP on postoperative health-related quality of life (HRQOL) is still unclear. (2) Methods: for the current study, patients with de-novo oligo-metastatic PC (cM1-oligo), defined as ≤5 bone lesions in the preoperative staging, were included, and matched cohorts using the variables age, body-mass index (BMI), and pT-stage were generated. Patient-reported outcome measures (PROMS) were assessed pre- and postoperatively using the validated EORTC-QLQ-C30, IIEF-5, and ICIQ-SF questionnaires. The primary endpoint for univariate and multivariable analysis was good general HRQOL defined by previously validated cut-off values. (3) Results: in total, 1268 patients (n = 84 (7%) cM1-oligo) underwent RP between 2012 and 2020 at one tertiary care center. A matched cohort of 411 patients (n = 79 with oligo-metastatic bone disease (cM1-oligo) and n = 332 patients without clinical indication of metastatic disease (cM0)) was created. The median follow-up was 25mo. There was no significant difference in good general HRQOL rates between cM1-oligo-patients and cM0-patients before RP (45.6% vs. 55.2%, p = 0.186), and at time of follow-up (44% vs. 56%, p = 0.811). Global health status (GHS) worsened significantly in cM0-patients compared to baseline (−5, p = 0.001), whereas GHS did not change significantly in cM1-oligo-patients (+3.2, p = 0.381). In multivariate analysis stratified for good erectile function (IIEF5 > 18; OR 5.722, 95% CI 1.89–17.36, p = 0.002) and continence recovery (OR 1.671, 95% CI 1.03–2.70, p = 0.036), cM1-oligo was not an independent predictive feature for general HRQOL (OR 0.821, 95% CI 0.44–1.53, p = 0.536). (4) Conclusions: in this large contemporary retrospective analysis, we observed no significant difference in HRQOL in patients with the oligometastatic bone disease after cytoreductive radical prostatectomy, when compared to patients with localized disease at time of surgery.