The Impact of Anatomical Radical Retropubic Prostatectomy on Cancer Control: The 30-Year Anniversary

PURPOSE: Radical prostatectomy has decreased prostate cancer specific mortality in men with clinically localized prostate cancer. We report oncological outcomes of the longest running series of nerve sparing radical retropubic prostatectomy on the 30th anniversary of the inaugural operation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 4,478 men underwent anatomical radical retropubic prostatectomy, as performed by a single surgeon (PCW), at the Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions from 1982 to 2011, without neoadjuvant or adjuvant therapy. During a median followup of 10 years (range 1 to 29), we examined progression-free, metastasis-free and cancer specific survival. RESULTS: The overall 25-year progression-free, metastasis-free and cancer specific survival rates were 68%, 84% and 86%, respectively, although there were significant differences in treatment outcomes between men treated in the pre-PSA and PSA eras. In each era, there were significant differences in progression-free, metastasis-free and cancer specific survival by D'Amico risk groups. In multivariable models considering prostatectomy features, pathological stage and grade were significantly associated with the risk of metastatic progression and disease specific mortality. CONCLUSIONS: Excellent prostate cancer specific survival was demonstrated up to 30 years after surgery. Clinical risk categories and pathological tumor features were significant predictors of long-term disease specific outcomes, supporting their ongoing use in risk stratification and management decisions. Anatomical radical retropubic prostatectomy continues to represent the gold standard in the surgical management of clinically localized prostate cancer to which alternate treatment options should be compared.