Study compares benefits of laparoscopic and traditional open surgery for prostate cancer

The more things change, the more they stay the same, as the proverb goes. A study appearing in an upcoming edition of The Journal of Oncology appears to prove just that. The study compares the benefits of laparoscopic surgery versus traditional open surgery in the treatment of prostate cancer. With traditional surgery, surgeons remove the prostate gland via an incision below the belly button. Laparoscopic surgery, which is a newer type of surgery, involves smaller incisions but also utilizes a camera and other surgical tools. The study shows that either technique works equally well in the treatment of prostate cancer and is merely a choice in preference for the patient.

Many prostate cancer patients dread surgery because of the recovery period and potential side effects such as impotence and incontinence. However, the study, which compared 102 traditional prostatectomy patients with 104 laparoscopic patients, showed very little differences in their outcomes. The risk of complication was only slightly higher with laparoscopic patients, with just a low rate of swelling and blood in the urine.

The study however did not include the more modern robotic prostatectomy surgery option. Dr. David B. Samadi, Chief of Robotics and Minimally Invasive Surgery at The Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City, who has successfully performed over 2,000 of these procedures, uses precision robotic technology to remove the prostate gland with less blood loss and increased accuracy. Because it is minimally invasive, robotic surgery can salvage the delicate nerves surrounding the gland and preserve sexual function and continence, shorten hospital stays and speed recovery.

The study confirmed that the outcome does not depend on the surgery, but the experience and judgment of the surgeon, with which Dr. Samadi wholeheartedly agrees. Samadi, one of only a handful of surgeons that is trained in all three disciplines, thinks the combination of experience is vital in the successful treatment of prostate cancer. "The robot can fail, it can happen," says Samadi, "which is why the surgeon must be able to then turn to his open or laparoscopic experience to get the job done." Samadi also takes a comprehensive approach in deciding which prostate cancer treatment method is best for his patients. Says Samadi, "Each patient is different, therefore their treatment must be individualized for greater success."