Port-Site Metastases After Robotic Radical Cystectomy: A Systematic Review and Management Options

Port-site metastases (PSMs) are a rare occurrence after robotic surgery. For robot-assisted radical cystectomy (RARC), isolated cases have been reported but management has not been previously described. We present a case of PSM that occurred after RARC and report the results of our systematic review of previously reported PSMs and describe the treatment options. Search Criteria and Methods: We describe a case of a PSM in a 55-year-old man who had undergone intracorporeal RARC. We performed a systematic review of MEDLINE and Embase databases for previously reported PSMs, detailing the stage and grade of the primary tumor, time to presentation of PSM, treatment offered, and outcomes for the identified cases.

We identified 4 cases of PSMs after RARC in published studies and also included our case for analysis. All 5 patients had muscle-invasive bladder cancer at cystectomy (stage ≥ T2) and 3 had local lymph node-positive disease. Our aggressive treatment of chemotherapy, wide surgical excision of PSM, and radiotherapy provided our patient with a 2-year disease-free status.

PSMs are a rare event in RARC, with only 4 other cases reported in published studies. The outcomes have not been well reported for these cases. We propose that multimodality treatment consisting of salvage chemotherapy, surgery, and radiotherapy should be considered, although concessions could be needed after consideration of patient factors.