Being told you have prostate cancer is frightening.
Most men immediately worry if they are going to die of prostate cancer and whether surgery will remove the cancer completely.
The reassuring news is simple. Prostate cancer usually grows slowly, and long-term survival is excellent for most men.
Robotic prostatectomy (robot-assisted removal of the prostate) can cure prostate cancer in numerous instances. When a cure is not possible, surgery still provides long-term control, meaning the cancer is kept quiet and prevented from causing harm.
Surgeons use the word 'control' deliberately. The aim is honesty, clarity, and realistic reassurance based on long-term evidence.
Does Robotic Prostatectomy Cure Prostate Cancer?
For many men, robotic prostatectomy cures prostate cancer.
Surgery removes the entire prostate gland along with the cancer inside it. When cancer remains fully contained within the prostate, a cure is very likely.
Prostate cancer does not always behave in a simple way. In some men, tiny cancer cells exist outside the prostate before surgery. Modern scans cannot detect cancer at that microscopic level.
Because of that biology:
- Some men are cured
- Some achieve long-term cancer control
- Some require additional treatment later
Needing further treatment does not mean surgery failed. Surgery removes the main cancer and allows careful monitoring afterwards.
What Are the Real Cure Rates After Prostate Cancer Surgery?
Cure rates depend on how aggressive the cancer appears under the microscope and whether spread has occurred.
Long-term studies show:
- Lower-risk prostate cancer
Cure rates of 85–95%
- Intermediate-risk prostate cancer
Cure rates of 70–85%
- Higher-risk prostate cancer
Cure rates of 50–70% with surgery alone
Higher rates when surgery is combined with additional treatment
What these numbers mean in everyday life:
Most men live long lives. Death from prostate cancer remains uncommon.
Cancer-specific survival exceeds 90–95% at 10–15 years.
How Often Does Prostate Cancer Come Back After Robotic Prostatectomy?
After prostate removal, doctors monitor a blood test called PSA (prostate-specific antigen, a protein made by prostate tissue).
After surgery:
- PSA should fall to very low or undetectable levels
- A small rise can appear years later
A rising PSA without symptoms is called biochemical recurrence.
Biochemical recurrence reflects a blood test change rather than illness or spread.
Large studies show:
- Around 20–40% of men develop a PSA rise within 10 years
- Risk varies according to cancer aggressiveness
Most men with a PSA rise:
- Feel completely well
- Have no symptoms
- Receive treatment at an early stage
Early detection allows treatment to work more effectively.
What Does “Cancer Control” Mean After Surgery?
Cancer control means:
- Cancer activity remains suppressed
- Monitoring continues through regular PSA tests
- Treatment begins early if PSA rises
- Spread and symptoms are prevented
For many men, cancer control lasts for life.
Cancer control represents active protection rather than uncertainty.
Why Do Surgeons Say “Control” Rather Than Cure?
Surgeons choose careful language for several reasons.
Prostate cancer often grows slowly
Small amounts of cancer may never cause harm.
Modern MRI and PET scans have limits
Microscopic cancer cells cannot be seen at surgery.
Early treatment for prostate cancer works well
Radiotherapy started early after PSA rise restores long-term control in around 60–70% of men.
Prostate Cancer Survival remains excellent
Most men live a normal lifespan, even when additional treatment is required.
The word 'control' reflects long-term planning rather than lack of confidence.
Which Men Are Most Likely to Be Cured by Surgery Alone?
The 'cure' after surgery is more likely when cancer:
- Remains confined to the prostate
- Appears less aggressive under the microscope (Gleason Group 1 and Gleason Group 2)
- Has a PSA below 10 ng/mL
- Shows clear surgical margins
- Has no lymph node involvement
Surgery still plays a vital role when cancer falls outside those categories.
What Happens If PSA Rises After Robotic Prostatectomy?
A rising PSA leads to early action rather than alarm.
Management often includes:
- Repeat PSA testing
- Advanced imaging
- Salvage radiotherapy (radiotherapy given early at low PSA levels) in combination with hormone treatment
- Hormone treatment in selected cases
Early treatment restores long-term control in more than half of affected men.
Is Prostate Cancer Ever Truly Gone After Surgery?
For many men, prostate cancer disappears permanently.
For others, prostate cancer behaves like a long-term condition that remains:
- Closely monitored
- Treated early when needed
- Controlled for decades
Most men return to normal life and stop thinking about cancer on a daily basis.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is prostate cancer completely cured after robotic prostatectomy?
Yes, for many men.
A proportion of men develop a PSA rise within 10 years. Long-term survival remains excellent even when further treatment becomes necessary.
Does a PSA rise mean the cancer has spread?
No.
A PSA rise usually reflects microscopic cancer detected early through blood testing.
Does needing radiotherapy mean surgery failed?
No.
Radiotherapy forms part of a planned pathway designed to maintain long-term cancer control.
Will prostate cancer shorten my life?
For most men, no.
Cancer-specific survival exceeds 90–95% at 10–15 years.
Key Take-Home Messages: Prostate Cancer Cure, Control and Survival After Surgery
- Robotic prostatectomy cures prostate cancer in many men
- Long-term cancer control remains achievable even without cure
- A PSA rise represents an early warning rather than failure
- Early treatment works well and protects survival
- Most men live long, healthy lives after prostate cancer surgery
- The word control reflects honesty and long-term protection
Final reassurance for men that choose robotic prostatectomy
Robotic prostatectomy remains one of the most effective treatments for prostate cancer. It is regarded as the gold standard of care.
Survival rates are high, outcomes are excellent, and long-term control is achievable for the vast majority of men.
What did I base my article on?
“Natural history of progression after PSA elevation following radical prostatectomy” Pound et al., JAMA 1999
What the study showed:
- Around 30–35% of men developed a PSA rise by 10 years
- Many men lived many years without symptoms
- PSA rise often occurred long before cancer caused harm
Roehl et al., Journal of Urology 2004 Large Johns Hopkins surgical cohort
What the study showed:
- PSA recurrence rates varied by cancer risk:
- Lower-risk: ~15%
- Intermediate-risk: ~30%
- Higher-risk: ~40–45%
- Overall recurrence clustered around the 20–40% range
Survival after prostate cancer surgery Stephenson et al., Journal of Clinical Oncology 2009
What the study showed:
- Cancer-specific survival exceeded 90–95% at 15 years
- Many men with PSA recurrence still did not die from prostate cancer
Effectiveness of early radiotherapy after PSA rise Tendulkar et al., Journal of Clinical Oncology 2016
What the study showed:
- 60–70% of men regained long-term control when radiotherapy was given early
- Best outcomes occurred at low PSA levels
- Explains why PSA recurrence is not treatment failure
- Supports the concept of control rather than cure
RADICALS-RT, RAVES, GETUG-AFU 17
Combined analysis published in The Lancet (2020)
What these trials showed:
- Routine radiotherapy after surgery is not always needed
- Early salvage treatment works just as well
- Monitoring with PSA and treating only when needed is safe
- Validates the modern step-by-step control approach
International guidelines used
European Association of Urology (EAU)
Cancer Research UK
National Cancer Institute
