Improving oncological outcomes after robot-assisted radical prostatectomy: what novel tools do we have?

Abstract

The recent application of novel technologies to the robot-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP) procedure has provided a new perspective and demonstrated potential usefulness in surgical planning, intraoperative navigation, and education of both patients and healthcare professionals, allowing for a patient-tailored prostate cancer (PCa) treatment. Integration of novel techniques into robotic surgery has improved the accuracy of surgery and has demonstrated a potential benefit in functional and oncological outcomes in patients with PCa. However, further randomized and prospective studies are needed to assess and validate the role of these technologies in clinical practice. The aim of this review is to summarize the current evidence on the new emerging techniques, such as three-dimensional (3D) imaging and printing, augmented reality (AR), and confocal microscopy (CM), and their impact on RARP and its oncological outcomes.