If robotic prostate surgery has been recommended or discussed as a treatment option, it is completely natural to wonder what it could mean for your life expectancy. You may also want to know whether the surgery can cure the cancer, how likely it is to return, and what your long-term outlook may be.
The answer is different for every person because life expectancy after robotic prostate surgery depends on several factors. These include the stage and grade of the cancer, your PSA level, surgical margins, lymph node involvement, your general health, and your age.
Research has shown that many men who undergo robot-assisted radical prostatectomy have excellent long-term prostate cancer-specific survival, particularly when the cancer is localised and classed as low or intermediate risk. Earlier-stage disease is generally associated with more favourable long-term outcomes, although prognosis also depends on cancer grade, general health and response to treatment.
No article can predict your individual outcome with certainty. Your surgeon will use information from your MRI scan, biopsy, operation findings, final pathology report, and PSA follow-up results to give you a more personalised estimate based on your own situation.
What Does Life Expectancy Mean After Prostate Surgery?
Life expectancy is not the same as recurrence risk. You may develop a detectable or rising PSA after surgery and still live for many years, particularly when recurrence is identified early and can be treated. Equally, remaining free from prostate cancer does not remove the effect of age or other health conditions on overall life expectancy.
Your long-term outlook depends on several factors, including the type of prostate cancer you have, your age, and any other medical conditions. If you have low-risk prostate cancer, you may be more likely to be affected by other health conditions than by the cancer itself. If your cancer is higher risk, controlling the disease becomes a more important part of your overall prognosis.
You may hear your doctor talk about both prostate cancer-specific survival and overall survival. These terms are different, as prostate cancer-specific survival looks only at deaths caused by prostate cancer, while overall survival includes deaths from any cause.
Understanding this difference can help you have more informed discussions with your specialist about your prognosis. Your doctor will consider your individual test results, treatment, and overall health to give you the most personalised information possible.
Why Robotic Surgery Is Usually Performed
Robotic prostate surgery is usually performed as a radical prostatectomy. During the procedure, your surgeon removes the prostate gland and seminal vesicles with the aim of treating prostate cancer that is still considered potentially curable.
You may be offered this operation if your cancer is localised or locally advanced and you are fit enough for surgery. NICE recommends that you should have the opportunity to discuss all suitable treatment options, including radical prostatectomy and radiotherapy, before making a decision.
The main goal of surgery is to achieve long-term cancer control. The procedure also provides detailed pathology results, helping your specialist better understand your cancer and give you a more accurate outlook after surgery.
Can Robotic Prostate Surgery Cure Prostate Cancer?
Radical prostatectomy is performed with curative intent when prostate cancer is considered suitable for complete surgical removal. Many people achieve long-term cancer control, but surgery cannot guarantee that the cancer will never return. If you have localised prostate cancer, you may have an excellent chance of achieving long-term cancer control after surgery.
A cure is not usually confirmed immediately after the operation. Instead, your healthcare team will monitor your PSA levels over time, as this is one of the most reliable ways to assess whether the cancer remains under control.
If your PSA stays very low or becomes undetectable during follow-up, it is generally a reassuring sign. If you develop a rising PSA level later, your specialist may recommend further tests or additional treatment to investigate the possibility of biochemical recurrence.
Why Stage Matters So Much
The stage of your prostate cancer describes how far the cancer has grown or spread within the body. If your cancer is completely contained within the prostate, you are generally more likely to have a better long-term outlook than someone whose cancer has spread to the seminal vesicles, lymph nodes, bones, or other organs.
Cancer stage is one of the most important factors affecting prognosis. Research shows that men diagnosed with stage 1 or stage 2 prostate cancer often have excellent long-term survival, while more advanced disease is associated with a lower survival rate.
After your operation, the final pathology results may show a different stage from the one expected before surgery. This is why your pathology report is so important, as it helps your specialist explain your prognosis and decide whether you need any further treatment or follow-up.
Why Grade Also Matters
Grade describes how abnormal the prostate cancer cells look under the microscope and how aggressively they are likely to behave. You may hear your specialist refer to Grade Groups, which range from Grade Group 1 to Grade Group 5.
The grade of your cancer is an important part of predicting your outlook. Lower-grade cancers usually grow more slowly and are less aggressive, while higher-grade cancers are more likely to grow and spread more quickly.
Before surgery, your biopsy provides an estimate of the cancer grade. After your operation, the final pathology report may confirm this result or show that your cancer is a higher or lower grade than first expected, helping your specialist plan your ongoing care.
Why PSA Level Influences Prognosis
PSA is an important blood test before and after robotic prostate surgery. Before your operation, it helps your specialist assess how the cancer may be behaving and estimate the likelihood of significant prostate cancer alongside your MRI scan, biopsy, and clinical findings.
A higher PSA level before surgery may suggest a larger amount of cancer or a greater chance that it has spread beyond the prostate. However, your PSA result is only one part of the assessment and should always be interpreted together with your other test results. After surgery, PSA becomes one of the most important ways to monitor for persistent or recurrent prostate cancer.
What Survival Statistics Can and Cannot Tell You
Survival statistics show what happened to large groups of people with prostate cancer, but they cannot predict your individual outcome. You can use these figures to understand general trends, although your personal prognosis may be very different.
You may come across five-year survival statistics when reading about prostate cancer. This does not mean someone is only expected to live for five years; it is simply a standard way of measuring outcomes after diagnosis and treatment.
Your long-term outlook depends on factors such as your cancer stage, grade, overall health, response to treatment, and follow-up results. While statistics provide helpful background information, your specialist is the best person to explain what they mean for your individual situation.
What Do UK Survival Figures Show?
Prostate cancer survival in the UK is generally very good, particularly when the disease is diagnosed at an early stage. Cancer Research UK reports that around 85 out of 100 men survive their prostate cancer for at least five years, while around 80 out of 100 survive for 10 years or more.
These are net-survival statistics for men with prostate cancer generally, covering different ages, stages, grades and treatments. Net survival accounts for the background risk of death from other causes, so the figures are not specific to men who have undergone robotic prostatectomy.
If you are suitable for robotic prostatectomy because your cancer is localised, your outlook is often more favourable than the overall prostate cancer population. However, factors such as a higher cancer stage, a higher grade, or other high-risk features can still influence your long-term prognosis.
What Do Robotic Surgery Studies Show?
Long-term research into robot-assisted radical prostatectomy has become more reliable as the procedure has been used for many years. Large international studies have reported encouraging long-term survival for men treated with robotic surgery, particularly when prostate cancer is localised.
One multicentre study involving 9,876 patients treated between 2002 and 2012 found an estimated 15-year prostate cancer-specific survival of 97.6% and an overall survival of 85.5%. The results also showed that survival differed between low-risk, intermediate-risk, and high-risk prostate cancer, highlighting the importance of your individual risk category.
These results are encouraging, but the study was a retrospective analysis from experienced, high-volume robotic centres rather than a randomised comparison of treatments. Most participants had low- or intermediate-risk disease, so the overall survival percentages should not be applied directly to every person considering surgery.
Factors That Influence Long-Term Outlook
| Factor | Why it matters | What it does not mean by itself |
| Pathological stage | Shows whether cancer was confined to the prostate or extended beyond it | Higher stage does not mean treatment cannot still control the disease |
| Grade Group | Helps estimate how aggressively the cancer may behave | It cannot predict an exact survival time |
| Postoperative PSA | Helps identify persistent or recurrent disease | One low detectable result does not always confirm recurrence |
| Surgical margins | Positive margins increase the risk of a later PSA rise | They do not guarantee that cancer will return |
| Lymph-node involvement | Indicates cancer has spread beyond the prostate | It does not mean no further effective treatment is available |
| Seminal-vesicle invasion | Is a higher-risk pathological feature | It does not prove that surgery provided no benefit |
| PSA doubling time | Helps assess how quickly recurrent disease may be behaving | It should not be interpreted from one PSA result |
| Age and general health | Affect overall survival and suitability for further treatment | Age alone should not determine treatment |
| Additional treatment | Salvage treatment may improve cancer control in suitable cases | Needing further treatment does not automatically mean surgery failed |
Evidence Note
Long-term robotic prostatectomy studies report outcomes from selected groups who were considered suitable for surgery. These patients are often healthier and more likely to have potentially curable disease than the wider prostate cancer population.
This means strong survival figures demonstrate that excellent long-term outcomes are possible after robot-assisted radical prostatectomy, but they do not prove that the robotic technique itself increases life expectancy or that every patient will have the same result.
Why Cancer-Specific Survival Is Different From Overall Survival
Cancer-specific survival measures the likelihood of dying from prostate cancer alone, while overall survival includes deaths from any cause, such as heart disease, stroke, lung disease, other cancers, or unrelated medical conditions. Understanding the difference can help you interpret survival statistics more accurately.
This distinction is important because many men with localised prostate cancer live for many years after treatment. You may be more likely to experience health issues unrelated to prostate cancer, particularly if your cancer is low or intermediate risk and has been successfully treated.
When discussing your life expectancy, you should ask your surgeon about both cancer-specific survival and overall survival. Your long-term outlook depends not only on how your cancer behaves but also on your general health, age, and any other medical conditions you may have.
How Low-Risk Cancer Affects Life Expectancy
Low-risk prostate cancer often has an excellent long-term outlook. If you are diagnosed with low-risk disease, your specialist may discuss active surveillance as an alternative to immediate surgery, depending on your individual circumstances.
If you choose to have robotic prostate surgery for low-risk prostate cancer, your life expectancy may be influenced more by your age and overall health than by the cancer itself. This is why it is important for you to discuss the benefits and potential risks of each treatment option before making a decision.
NICE recommends offering active surveillance to people with CPG 1 localised prostate cancer. Radical prostatectomy or radical radiotherapy may be considered when surveillance is unsuitable or unacceptable to the individual.
How Intermediate-Risk Cancer Affects Life Expectancy
Intermediate-risk prostate cancer can vary from one person to another. Some intermediate-risk cancers behave more like lower-risk disease, while others have features that make active treatment more important for achieving long-term cancer control.
Robotic prostate surgery may be recommended if you are suitable for the procedure and there is a good chance of removing the cancer completely. After your operation, the final pathology report provides more detailed information about whether the cancer was fully contained or whether there are features that may influence further treatment.
Long-term studies show that many men with intermediate-risk prostate cancer have favourable prostate cancer-specific survival after robotic prostatectomy. Your individual outlook will depend on factors such as your PSA level, Grade Group, tumour stage, tumour volume, and whether the surgical margins are clear.
How High-Risk Cancer Affects Life Expectancy
High-risk prostate cancer has a greater chance of coming back, spreading, or needing additional treatment after surgery. You may still be offered robotic prostate surgery if it is considered suitable, but your follow-up will usually be more intensive to monitor your recovery and PSA levels.
Long-term studies have shown that men with high-risk prostate cancer have lower prostate cancer-specific survival than those with low- or intermediate-risk disease. However, this does not mean you cannot achieve a good outcome, as every person’s prognosis depends on their individual cancer features and response to treatment.
After surgery, you may need further treatment such as radiotherapy, hormone therapy, or another approach based on your PSA results and final pathology report. Your specialist will explain whether additional treatment is recommended and how it may affect your long-term outlook.
Why the Final Pathology Report Is Crucial
Your final pathology report provides detailed information that cannot always be confirmed before surgery. It shows the cancer grade and stage, whether the surgical margins are clear, if the seminal vesicles are involved, whether lymph nodes contain cancer if they were removed, and other important findings.
These results play a key role in understanding your long-term outlook. If your cancer is completely contained within the prostate and the surgical margins are negative, your prognosis is often different from someone whose pathology shows more advanced features, such as seminal vesicle involvement or positive lymph nodes.
Your first appointment after surgery is an important opportunity to discuss the pathology report with your specialist. You should ask for a clear explanation of the findings, as they help guide your follow-up care, estimate your risk of recurrence, and determine whether any additional treatment may be needed.
Clinical Tip
Ask for a copy of your pathology report and write down your pathological stage, Grade Group, margin status, lymph-node result and seminal-vesicle result. At your follow-up appointment, ask your specialist to explain how these findings combine with your first PSA result.
No single finding determines your prognosis. The overall pattern is more informative than one margin, one PSA measurement or one risk feature considered alone.
What Surgical Margins Mean for Prognosis
A surgical margin is the edge of the tissue removed during your prostate surgery. A positive surgical margin means cancer cells reach the inked edge of the removed specimen. It is associated with a higher risk of a future PSA rise, but it does not prove that clinically significant cancer remains in the body or that recurrence is inevitable.
A positive surgical margin does not automatically mean your cancer will return. However, it may increase the need for closer PSA monitoring and can influence whether your specialist recommends additional treatment based on your individual results.
NICE does not recommend routine immediate radiotherapy after radical prostatectomy solely because of a positive surgical margin, except within a clinical trial. Instead, your healthcare team will usually monitor your PSA levels closely and decide on any further treatment if there are signs that the cancer has returned.
Decisions about further treatment should take account of your postoperative PSA level and confirmed PSA trend, as well as your cancer stage, Grade Group, margin extent, seminal-vesicle or lymph-node involvement and overall health.
Why Lymph Node Results Matter
Some men have pelvic lymph nodes removed during robotic prostate surgery, particularly if there is a higher risk that the cancer has spread beyond the prostate. Your surgeon will decide whether this is appropriate based on your test results and overall risk.
If no cancer is found in the lymph nodes, it is generally a reassuring finding. If cancer is present, it suggests that the disease has spread beyond the prostate, and your long-term treatment plan may need to be adjusted.
Lymph node involvement can affect your prognosis, but it does not mean effective treatment is no longer possible. Your specialist may recommend closer PSA monitoring, additional treatment such as hormone therapy or radiotherapy, or referral to an oncology team, depending on your individual situation.
What Seminal Vesicle Involvement Means
The seminal vesicles are small glands located behind the prostate and are usually removed during a radical prostatectomy. If your pathology report shows that the cancer has spread into these glands, it is known as seminal vesicle invasion.
This is considered a higher-risk finding because it may increase the chance of the cancer returning after treatment. Research has shown that men with pT3b disease, which includes seminal vesicle invasion, generally have a less favourable prostate cancer-specific outlook than those with cancer confined to the prostate or with less extensive spread.
Seminal vesicle involvement does not mean your surgery has been unsuccessful. It does mean that your specialist will monitor you more closely and may discuss additional treatments, depending on your PSA results, pathology findings, and overall clinical picture.
What Happens to PSA After Surgery?
After radical prostatectomy, PSA is expected to fall to an undetectable or extremely low level because the prostate and most PSA-producing tissue have been removed. PSA is used to monitor for persistent or recurrent cancer rather than to measure general surgical recovery.
NICE recommends checking PSA no earlier than six weeks after radical treatment, at least every six months for the first two years and at least annually afterwards. EAU guidance generally advises six-monthly testing for three years followed by annual testing, although the schedule should be personalised.
Why a Rising PSA Matters
A PSA that does not become undetectable after surgery is described as persistent PSA. This is clinically different from a PSA that initially becomes undetectable and then rises later. Persistent PSA or a confirmed rising PSA may indicate residual or recurrent prostate cancer, even when imaging does not yet show visible disease. A single low but detectable result may need repeating before its significance is clear.
A higher PSA does not automatically mean your cancer will cause serious problems or affect your life expectancy. Many men remain well for years after biochemical recurrence, and you may be offered treatments such as salvage radiotherapy or other therapies if they are appropriate for your situation.
Your specialist will look at more than just a single PSA result when deciding what to do next. EAU guidance recommends assessing the overall risk of recurrence and distinguishing between a detectable PSA and a clinically significant relapse before making treatment decisions.
Does Recurrence Mean Life Expectancy Is Poor?
A recurrence after robotic prostate surgery does not automatically mean your life expectancy is poor. If your PSA begins to rise, the significance depends on factors such as how quickly it increases, how high it becomes, your original pathology results, and whether any recurrence can be seen on imaging.
Some men with a slowly rising PSA may be monitored for a period in selected circumstances, while others may benefit from early salvage radiotherapy or another treatment. Your specialist will recommend the most appropriate approach based on your individual circumstances rather than a single PSA result.
When planning treatment, your healthcare team will consider your PSA doubling time, pathology findings, age, overall health, and scan results. The aim is to identify recurrence early, offer treatment when it is likely to be beneficial, and avoid unnecessary treatment whenever possible. Biochemical recurrence often occurs before symptoms or visible disease on scans, and its long-term significance varies considerably between individuals.
What the ProtecT Trial Adds to This Discussion
The ProtecT Trial compared active monitoring, surgery, and radiotherapy in men with localised prostate cancer. Its 15-year results showed that prostate cancer-specific mortality was low across all three treatment groups, highlighting the generally favourable long-term outlook for many men diagnosed early.
The study also found important differences in cancer progression and the risk of the disease spreading. This means that although long-term survival was excellent in many cases, the choice of treatment can still influence future outcomes and the likelihood of needing additional treatment.
The ProtecT Trial does not suggest that surgery is unnecessary for everyone. Instead, it shows that you should consider your cancer risk, life expectancy, possible side effects, and personal preferences when discussing treatment options with your specialist.
ProtecT does not show that robotic surgery and monitoring have equivalent outcomes for every type of prostate cancer. It involved people with localised disease and compared treatment strategies rather than robotic and open surgical techniques.
How Age Affects Life Expectancy After Surgery
Age is an important factor when considering life expectancy after robotic prostate surgery because it influences both treatment decisions and overall health. A younger, fit man may have different priorities and treatment goals than an older man who also has other medical conditions, such as heart disease.
If you are younger, long-term cancer control may have a greater impact because you are likely to have many years ahead in which the cancer could progress if left untreated. As you get older, other health conditions may play a bigger role in your overall life expectancy than the prostate cancer itself.
Age alone should not determine whether surgery is the right option for you. Your specialist will also consider your general health, fitness, cancer stage, cancer risk, and personal preferences before recommending the most appropriate treatment.
How General Health Affects Prognosis
Your general health plays an important role in your overall prognosis after prostate surgery. Conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, kidney disease, lung disease, obesity, and frailty can affect your life expectancy independently of prostate cancer.
Cancer Research UK explains that people who are fitter and in better general health are often able to cope more effectively with both cancer and its treatment. This is why your specialist will look at your overall health, not just your cancer, when discussing your prognosis.
Before your operation, your healthcare team will assess whether you are fit for anaesthesia and recovery. You can also support your recovery by following medical advice, taking prescribed medication, stopping smoking if you smoke, and staying as active as your health allows.
Does Robotic Surgery Improve Life Expectancy Compared with Open Surgery?
Robotic and open surgery are both methods of performing a radical prostatectomy. Your long-term prognosis depends mainly on the biology of the cancer, final pathology, postoperative PSA and access to appropriate follow-up or additional treatment, rather than on the surgical platform alone.
The most important factors affecting your long-term outlook are whether the cancer is completely removed, whether the surgical margins are clear, whether the lymph nodes contain cancer, and whether your PSA remains well controlled after treatment. Your surgeon’s experience and choosing the right treatment for your individual cancer are also key considerations.
Long-term studies have reported encouraging survival after robotic prostatectomy, but it is important to remember that the robot is simply a surgical technique used to perform a radical prostatectomy. You will still need regular follow-up, as ongoing PSA monitoring remains essential regardless of the surgical approach.
What If You Need Additional Treatment After Surgery?
Some men need additional treatment after robotic prostate surgery. You may be offered further treatment if your PSA does not fall as expected, rises during follow-up, or if your pathology report shows features that increase the risk of the cancer returning.
Depending on your individual situation, additional treatment may include radiotherapy to the prostate bed, hormone therapy, or another appropriate approach. NICE recommends that you should have the opportunity to discuss all suitable options with your healthcare team, and involve your partner or carer in these conversations if you wish.
Needing further treatment does not mean your surgery has failed. Instead, it means your specialist is adjusting your treatment plan based on your pathology results, PSA levels, and overall risk to give you the best possible long-term outcome.
How Lifestyle Fits into Long-Term Outcomes
A healthy lifestyle cannot guarantee that prostate cancer will not return or that prostate cancer-specific survival will improve. However, regular physical activity, a balanced diet, stopping smoking, maintaining a healthy weight and managing cardiovascular or metabolic conditions can support recovery, fitness and overall health. Your specialist may encourage you to remain physically active during follow-up, according to your recovery and general health.
Many men live for many years after robotic prostate surgery, so looking after your overall health remains important. Alongside regular cancer follow-up, you should focus on keeping your heart, bones, muscles, and mental wellbeing as healthy as possible.
What Symptoms Should Be Checked During Follow-Up?
Regular PSA testing is the main method used to monitor for recurrence after radical prostatectomy. You should continue attending scheduled follow-up appointments rather than waiting for physical symptoms to develop.
Symptoms that should be discussed with your specialist include ongoing pelvic or bone pain, blood in your urine, worsening urinary problems, swelling in the lower body, bowel changes, unexplained fatigue, muscle loss, or unexpected weight loss. These symptoms do not always mean the cancer has returned, but they should be assessed.
Most symptoms experienced during the early stages of recovery are not caused by cancer recurrence. Even so, if you notice symptoms that are new, persistent, or becoming worse, you should contact your healthcare team so they can decide whether further assessment is needed. PSA recurrence usually occurs before clinical symptoms. New or persistent symptoms should still be assessed, but they do not replace regular PSA monitoring.
Why Individual Prognosis Is More Useful Than Averages
Average survival statistics can provide helpful background, but they cannot predict what will happen in your individual case. You may find that two men who have the same operation have very different long-term outcomes because of differences in their cancer and overall health.
Your personal prognosis is based on several factors, including your cancer risk before surgery, the findings during the operation, your final pathology report, your PSA response after treatment, and whether any additional treatment is needed. Your specialist may also use risk calculators or nomograms, while explaining their benefits and limitations.
It is completely reasonable to ask your surgeon to explain your outlook in clear, straightforward language. You should leave your consultation with a good understanding of whether your risk is considered low, moderate, or higher, and what your follow-up plan will involve.
What Is the Main Message About Life Expectancy After Robotic Prostate Surgery?
For many men with localised prostate cancer, life expectancy after robotic prostate surgery can be excellent. You are more likely to have a favourable long-term outlook if your cancer is low or intermediate risk, the disease has been successfully removed, and your PSA remains well controlled during follow-up.
Your individual prognosis depends on several factors, including the stage and grade of your cancer, PSA levels, surgical margins, lymph node findings, seminal vesicle involvement, your age, general health, and your PSA results after surgery. These details provide a much clearer picture of your long-term outlook than the operation alone.
The most important step is to discuss your results with your specialist after surgery. You should ask about your pathology report, PSA follow-up, and overall risk, as these will help you understand your prognosis and whether any further treatment or monitoring is recommended.
Key Takeaways
- Robotic prostatectomy is a method of performing radical prostatectomy and does not independently determine life expectancy.
- Many people with localised prostate cancer have excellent long-term cancer-specific survival after surgery.
- Population survival figures cannot predict an individual outcome.
- Stage, Grade Group, pathology and postoperative PSA are central to prognosis.
- Positive surgical margins increase recurrence risk but do not guarantee recurrence.
- PSA should usually be checked from around six to eight weeks after surgery.
- A confirmed PSA trend is more informative than one isolated result.
- Biochemical recurrence does not automatically mean a poor life expectancy.
- Salvage radiotherapy and other treatments may remain available after recurrence.
- Age, fitness and other medical conditions strongly affect overall survival.
- Healthy habits support recovery and general health but cannot guarantee that cancer will not return.
- Your surgeon or oncology team is best placed to explain your individual prognosis.
FAQs
1. How long can you live after robotic prostate surgery?
Many people live for many years after robotic prostatectomy, particularly when cancer is localised and successfully controlled. However, no general survival figure can predict an individual lifespan. Your life expectancy depends on factors such as your cancer stage, Grade Group, PSA levels, pathology results, age, and overall health rather than the surgery alone.
2. Can you be cured after robotic prostate surgery?
Surgery is performed with curative intent and may provide lasting cancer control. However, cure cannot be confirmed immediately, and even apparently localised cancer can occasionally recur. Long-term PSA follow-up is therefore essential.
3. What happens if your PSA starts to rise after surgery?
A confirmed PSA rise may indicate biochemical recurrence, but one isolated result may need repeating. Your specialist will assess the PSA pattern, doubling time, pathology and imaging before recommending treatment.
4. Does your age affect your life expectancy after robotic prostate surgery?
Yes. Your age is one factor your specialist considers, but your overall fitness and other medical conditions are just as important. Many healthy older men continue to have excellent outcomes after treatment.
5. How often should you have PSA tests after robotic prostate surgery?
Your first PSA test is usually arranged from around six to eight weeks after surgery. Follow-up commonly involves PSA testing approximately every six months during the first two or three years and annually afterwards, although your specialist may recommend a different schedule based on your individual risk.
6. If your surgical margins are positive, does that mean the cancer will come back?
Positive margins increase the probability of a future PSA rise, but they do not mean recurrence is certain. Decisions about additional treatment should be based on the complete pathology and PSA follow-up rather than the margin result alone.
7. Can you still have treatment if the cancer comes back after surgery?
Depending on where the recurrence is suspected, your PSA pattern, previous treatment and general health, options may include salvage radiotherapy, hormone therapy, monitoring or another individualised treatment.
8. Does robotic prostate surgery give you a better life expectancy than open surgery?
Robotic and open surgery are different techniques for performing radical prostatectomy. Your long-term prognosis depends mainly on the cancer, final pathology, PSA response and quality of follow-up and any additional treatment, rather than on the surgical platform alone.
9. What can you do to support your health after robotic prostate surgery?
You can support your recovery by attending all follow-up appointments, having regular PSA tests, staying physically active, eating a balanced diet, maintaining a healthy weight, avoiding smoking, and managing any other long-term health conditions.
10. What questions should you ask your specialist after robotic prostate surgery?
You should ask about your final pathology report, cancer stage and Grade Group, surgical margins, lymph node findings, PSA results, risk of recurrence, follow-up schedule, and whether any additional treatment is recommended. These answers will give you a clearer understanding of your individual prognosis.
Final Thoughts: Understanding Your Long-Term Outlook
Many people with localised prostate cancer have an excellent long-term outlook after robot-assisted radical prostatectomy. However, life expectancy cannot be predicted from the operation alone. Your cancer stage, Grade Group, final pathology, postoperative PSA, age, general health and response to any further treatment all contribute to your individual prognosis.
If you are considering surgery or would like help understanding your results, you can arrange a specialist assessment with an experienced robotic prostate surgery clinic in London. Your specialist can explain your treatment options, likely follow-up and individual long-term outlook.
References:
- National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) (2019, updated 2021; reviewed 2025) Prostate cancer: diagnosis and management (NICE guideline NG131). London: NICE. Available at: https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng131
- European Association of Urology (EAU) (2026) EAU Guidelines on Prostate Cancer: Follow-up. Arnhem: European Association of Urology Guidelines Office. Available at: https://uroweb.org/guidelines/prostate-cancer/chapter/followup
- Cancer Research UK (2025) Survival for prostate cancer. Last reviewed 11 June 2025. Available at: https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/prostate-cancer/survival
- Falagario, U.G., Knipper, S., Pellegrino, F. et al. (2024) ‘Prostate cancer-specific and all-cause mortality after robot-assisted radical prostatectomy: 20 years’ report from the European Association of Urology Robotic Urology Section Scientific Working Group’, European Urology Oncology, 7(4), pp. 705–712. Available at: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2588931123001682
- Hamdy, F.C., Donovan, J.L., Lane, J.A. et al. (2023) ‘Fifteen-year outcomes after monitoring, surgery, or radiotherapy for prostate cancer’, New England Journal of Medicine, 388(17), pp. 1547–1558. Available at: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36912538/