Seeing a different Gleason score on your final pathology report can be surprising or worrying. This usually happens because your biopsy sampled only selected areas, while after surgery the pathologist can examine the removed prostate much more extensively. This is called upgrading or downgrading. It does not mean surgery changed your cancer; the final pathology … Read more
Seeing “extraprostatic extension” or “pT3a” on your pathology report can be worrying. It means cancer was found just beyond the prostate, but it does not automatically mean the disease has spread elsewhere. Your specialist will interpret this finding alongside your postoperative PSA, Grade Group, surgical margins and lymph nodes. If your PSA becomes undetectable and … Read more
Seeing the words “positive surgical margin” on your pathology report can sound worrying, but it does not automatically mean cancer remains in your body. It means cancer cells were found at the edge of the tissue removed during surgery and can increase your risk of recurrence. Your specialist will look at your postoperative PSA alongside … Read more
If your prostate cancer has reached nearby pelvic lymph nodes, you may still have several treatment options, but surgery may not always be the most appropriate first treatment. Your treatment depends on your lymph-node involvement, PSA, cancer stage and whether the cancer has spread elsewhere. Your specialist may discuss surgery, radiotherapy, hormone therapy or a … Read more
If you’ve been told that your prostate cancer may have reached the seminal vesicles, you may be wondering whether surgery is still possible. In selected men without distant spread, robotic radical prostatectomy may still be considered as part of treatment aimed at long-term cancer control. Your specialist will consider your PSA, Grade Group, scans, lymph … Read more
If your cancer is too close to the nerves, your surgeon may need to remove more tissue on one or both sides so the cancer can be removed safely. This can affect your ability to have natural erections after surgery. If one nerve bundle is preserved, you may still recover some erections. If neither nerve … Read more
Yes, you may still be able to have robotic prostate surgery if your cancer is close to the nerves that help with erections. Your surgeon will look at where the cancer is and decide how much nerve tissue can be safely preserved. If the cancer is very close to the nerves, your surgeon may need … Read more
After robotic prostate surgery, you can sometimes develop scar tissue where your bladder and urethra are joined. If this narrows the passage, you may notice a weaker urine stream, straining or difficulty emptying your bladder. This is called vesicourethral anastomotic stenosis (VUAS) and is uncommon. If treatment is needed, it can often be carried out … Read more
If you are preparing for robotic prostate surgery, you may come across the term vesicourethral anastomosis and wonder what it actually means. It is the new connection your surgeon creates between your bladder and remaining urethra after your prostate has been removed. Although the name sounds technical, its purpose is straightforward. The connection restores the … Read more
If you are preparing for robotic prostate surgery, you may be wondering what happens to the part of your bladder that sits next to the prostate and whether it could affect your urinary control afterwards. This area is called the bladder neck, and it needs to be carefully separated from the prostate during the operation. … Read more
