Robotic Prostate Cancer Surgery Tied to Financial Harm in Younger Patients

TUESDAY, Oct. 18, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- Younger patients have a higher risk for financial toxicity following robotic prostate cancer surgery, according to a study published in the November issue of The Journal of Urology.

Oktay Özman, M.D., from the Netherlands Cancer Institute-Antoni van Leeuwenhoek Hospital in Amsterdam, and colleagues evaluated the frequency of financial toxicity among patients who underwent robot-assisted radical prostatectomy for prostate cancer. The analysis included 1,479 robot-assisted radical prostatectomy patients between 2006 and 2021 reporting no financial toxicity in preoperative assessments.

The researchers found that through two years of follow-up, 8.3 percent reported financial toxicity. There were no statistically significant differences between financial toxicity and salvage radiotherapy and positive surgical margin rates. Age at robot-assisted radical prostatectomy (odds ratio [OR], 0.95), International Prostate Symptom Score (OR, 2.4), International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire-Short Form (OR, 1.5), and quality-of-life scores (OR, 0.09) were associated with financial toxicity. There was a 1.6-fold increased financial toxicity risk among patients who underwent robot-assisted radical prostatectomy before retirement (65 years of age or younger).

"Patients who report urological symptoms after robot-assisted radical prostatectomy should also be evaluated for financial toxicity," the authors write.

Abstract/Full Text