SIR: Minimally Invasive Prostate Cancer Treatment Shows Faster Recovery Than Robotic Prostatectomy

MONDAY, April 20, 2026 (HealthDay News) -- Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-guided transurethral ultrasound ablation (TULSA) shows better initial perioperative outcomes than robotic prostatectomy (RP) for intermediate-risk prostate cancer, according to a study presented at the annual meeting of the Society of Interventional Radiology, held from April 11 to 15 in Toronto.David A. Woodrum, M.D., Ph.D., from the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, and colleagues examined baseline patient and treatment characteristics, as well as initial perioperative outcomes and return-to-baseline activity among participants in the CAPTAIN randomized controlled trial comparing TULSA (148 individuals) to RP (64 individuals) for localized, intermediate-risk prostate cancer.The researchers found that for TULSA versus RP, median age was 63 versus 65 years; the prostate-specific antigen level was 6.5 versus 7.2 ng/mL; and prostate volume was 41 versus 35 cc. Prostate calcifications were absent, ≤3 mm, and >3 mm in 64, 19, and 17 percent of participants, respectively, versus 67, 22, and 11 percent of participants. Grade group 2/3 histology was seen in 76 and 24 percent of TULSA patients versus 77 and 23 percent of RP patients. Most TULSA plans were designed for subtotal ablation with strategic sparing; median fraction of the prostate heated to ablative temperatures measured by intraprocedural MRI thermometry was 78 percent. More than three-quarters of RP participants (77 percent) had pelvic lymph node dissection. TULSA had significantly less intraprocedural blood loss than RP (0 versus 100 mL) and shorter length of stay (0.29 versus 1.24 days). With TULSA, catheterization was longer (13 versus eight days). After TULSA, patients reported significantly less decline in overall health on the EQ-5D 0-100 visual analog scale for all 30 days versus RP."Initial perioperative outcomes demonstrate that TULSA had no blood loss, no overnight stay, reduced post-procedure pain, and faster recovery to baseline activities and overall health compared to RP," the authors write.AbstractPress ReleaseMore Information.Sign up for our weekly HealthDay newsletter

SIR: Minimally Invasive Prostate Cancer Treatment Shows Faster Recovery Than Robotic Prostatectomy

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