Prostate Cancer Services
Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men in the UK.
Each year in the UK approximately 30,000 men are diagnosed with
prostate cancer.
The average age of diagnosis around 75 years old. The risk is
higher in those with a family history and African-Caribbean
origin.
Prostate cancers range from very aggressive tumours to slow
growing tumours. Slow growing tumours are more common and may not
cause any symptoms or shorten life.
Early prostate cancer usually causes no symptoms. Often it is
diagnosed during the workup for an elevated PSA noticed during a
routine checkup. Prostate cancer is associated with urinary
dysfunction as the prostate gland surrounds the prostatic urethra.
Changes within the gland, therefore, directly affect urinary
function.
Advanced prostate cancer can spread to other parts of the body,
possibly causing additional symptoms. The most common symptom is
bone pain, often in the bones of the spine, pelvis, or ribs.
Robotic Asisted Laparoscopic Prostatectomy
Robotic assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy (RALP) is a
minimally invasive, surgical procedure that removes the 
cancerous prostate gland and related structures.
To perform the operation to remove your prostate your surgeon
will be using the Da Vinci surgical robot. This allows the surgeon
to perform a keyhole (laparoscopic) operation with improved 3D
vision and with finer instrument dexterity.
The Robot is connected to the patient using six small incisions
in the abdomen, which the instruments pass through. The
surgeon controls the robotic instruments from a separate “console”
and is able to perform very precise surgery to remove the prostate
but carefully protect the surrounding structures.
This type of surgery allows for faster recovery, less pain,
earlier discharge and a quicker return to normal daily
activities.
Alternatives to robotic prostatectomy
- Open prostatectomy
- Laparoscopic prostatectomy
- External beam radiotherapy
- Brachytherapy
- Active surveillance
All these options and their suitability for you as an individual
can be discussed with your surgeon.
For further information, download patient information leaflet
Radical robot
assisted prostectomy PDF.
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