To investigate the oncologic outcomes of pT0 after robot-assisted radical cystectomy (RARC).

A retrospective review of the International Robotic Cystectomy Consortium database was performed. Patients with pT0 after RARC were identified and analyzed. Data were reviewed for demographics and pathologic outcomes. Kaplan-Meier curves were used to depict recurrence-free survival (RFS), disease-specific survival (DSS), and overall survival (OS). Multivariate stepwise Cox regression models were used to identify variables associated with RFS and OS.

Four hundred seventy-one patients (18%) with pT0 were identified. Median age was 68 years (interquartile range (IQR) 60-73), with a median follow up of 20 months (IQR 6-47). Thirty-seven percent received neoadjuvant chemotherapy and 5% had pN+ disease. Seven percent of patients experienced disease relapse; 3% had local and 5% had distant recurrence. Most common sites of local and distant recurrences were pelvis (1%) and lungs (2%). Five-year RFS, DSS, and OS were 88%, 93%, and 79%, respectively. Age (hazards ratio [HR] 1.05, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.01-1.09, P = 0.02), pN+ve (HR 11.48, 95% CI 4.47-29.49, P < .01), and reoperations within 30 days (HR 5.53, 95% CI 2.08-14.64, P < .01) were associated with RFS. Chronic kidney disease (HR 3.24, 95% CI 1.45-7.23, P < .01), neoadjuvant chemotherapy (HR 0.41, 95% CI 0.18-0.92, P = .03), pN+ve (HR 4.37, 95% CI 1.46-13.06, P < .01), and reoperations within 30 days (HR 2.64, 95% CI, 1.08-6.43, P = .03) were associated with OS.

Despite pT0 status at RARC, 5% had pN+ disease and 7% of patients relapsed. Node status was the variable strongest associated with RFS and OS in pT0.