Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 18, 2026
12:10
Retzius-Sparing Robot-Assisted Radical Prostatectomy
Published on: May 19, 2022
Radical prostatectomy for octogenarians: how old is too old?
R Houston Thompson1, Jeffrey M Slezak, W Scott Webster
1Department of Urology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester, Minnesota 55905, USA.
Urology
|November 11, 2006
Summary
Radical prostatectomy (RP) in healthy octogenarians is rare but can yield good outcomes. Select older men can achieve satisfactory results, though increased urinary incontinence is noted.
Area of Science:
- Urology
- Oncology
- Geriatric Medicine
Background:
- The aging population is experiencing an increase in prostate cancer diagnoses.
- Radical prostatectomy (RP) is a treatment option, but outcome data for octogenarians are limited.
- This study examines RP outcomes in patients aged 80 and older.
Purpose of the Study:
- To report the experience and outcomes of radical prostatectomy (RP) in octogenarian patients.
- To evaluate oncologic and functional results in this specific age group.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of 19 patients aged 80+ who underwent RP between 1986 and 2003.
- Data collected from the Mayo Clinic Prostatectomy Registry, including survival and quality-of-life measures.
- Patient characteristics, cancer staging, and follow-up data were analyzed.
Main Results:
- The mean age was 81 years; 68% had high-risk disease (pT3 or Gleason score ≥7).
- Median follow-up was 10.5 years; 10 patients survived over a decade post-RP.
- No cancer-specific deaths occurred, and 10-year all-cause survival was comparable to younger patients. 74% achieved continence.
Conclusions:
- Radical prostatectomy can be a viable option for select, well-informed octogenarian patients with prostate cancer.
- Satisfactory oncologic and functional outcomes are achievable, with survival rates similar to younger cohorts.
- A higher rate of urinary incontinence should be anticipated compared to younger patients.
