Postoperative Outcomes of Robotic Versus Conventional Surgery in a Multi-Cancer Cohort: A Retrospective Cohort Study

Background/Objectives: Evidence on robotic surgery is largely procedure-specific and depends on the comparator. We examined associations with postoperative outcomes, prioritizing colorectal and uterine cancer and distinguishing laparoscopic from open comparators.

Methods

This retrospective cohort included 2139 patients undergoing elective surgery for colorectal, uterine, prostate, or renal cancer at a tertiary referral center in 2019–2023. The primary analysis included 1232 colorectal or uterine cancer patients undergoing robotic (n = 462) or laparoscopic (n = 770) surgery. Generalized linear models adjusted for age, sex, cancer type, and T category/FIGO stage group; operative time and staffing were added in sensitivity analysis. Absolute differences were estimated by G-computation. The four-cancer pooled analysis was secondary.