Abstract
BACKGROUND/AIM: To clarify the perioperative and oncological outcomes of robot-assisted radical cystectomy (RARC) in advanced bladder cancer (BC) patients treated with maintenance hemodialysis (HD) therapy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We retrospectively evaluated patients receiving HD therapy who had undergone RARC or open radical cystectomy (ORC) for BC between April 1988 and December 2021 at two affiliated institutions. We compared the surgical outcomes and survival after radical cystectomy between patients treated with RARC and those treated with ORC. RESULTS: Thirty-six patients were evaluated, and eight (22%) and 28 (78%) received RARC and ORC, respectively. RARC was more frequently conducted than ORC in elderly patients (median: 75.5 vs. 68.2 years, p<0.05). Regarding postoperative surgical outcomes, the estimated blood loss volume (median: 75 ml vs. 627 ml, p<0.05) was significantly lower in the RARC group than that in the ORC group. A lower blood transfusion rate (25% vs. 67%, p=0.170) was observed. Moreover, there were no differences in operative time (median: 255 vs. 294 min, p=0.232) or complication rate (Clavien-Dindo grade, any grade: 50% vs. 46%, p=0.858; grade 3 or more: 13% vs. 14%, p=0.897). The 11-year overall survival rate did not differ between the two groups (88% vs. 74%, p=0.365). CONCLUSION: The perioperative outcomes of RARC in patients undergoing HD therapy were comparable to those of ORC. RARC is a potentially feasible surgical option even in patients with high comorbidities.