Robotic Cancer Surgery

Precision Cancer Care

Robotic surgery is transforming the way cancer is treated across the world. Using advanced technology, surgeons can now perform complex procedures with greater precision, flexibility, and control than ever before. Unlike traditional open surgery, robotic-assisted surgery require only small incisions, resulting in faster recovery and less pain for patients. This innovation marks a significant leap forward in cancer care, offering new hope and improved outcomes. Our Department of Surgical Oncology is proud to introduce this cutting-edge technology for the benefit of our cancer patients.

What is robotic surgery?

Robotic surgery is a type of minimally invasive surgery where doctors use a robotic system to assist in performing complex procedures. The surgeon controls the robot from a console, guiding its arms with high precision. This allows for smaller cuts, better accuracy, and greater control in delicate areas of the body. It’s especially useful in cancer surgeries, where precision is critical to remove the cancer, while protecting surrounding tissues.

Is a robot doing the surgery on its own?

No. Robotic surgery is always performed by a trained surgeon who sits at a console and controls the robotic arms. The robot doesn’t make any decisions or move independently — it follows the surgeon’s exact hand movements, but with more precision and steadiness. Think of the robot as a highly advanced tool that helps the surgeon perform delicate procedures with greater accuracy and control.

How is robotic surgery better than traditional open surgery?

Robotic surgery offers several advantages over traditional open surgery. It uses smaller incisions, which means less pain, minimal blood loss, and faster recovery for patients. The robotic system provides a high-definition 3D view and greater precision, allowing surgeons to operate in narrow spaces with ease. As a result, patients often experience shorter hospital stays, lower risk of infection, and quicker return to daily activities.

Are laparoscopy and robotic surgery the same?

Not exactly — they are similar but not the same. Both laparoscopy and robotic surgery are forms of minimally invasive surgery, meaning they use small cuts instead of large open incisions. However, in laparoscopy, the surgeon directly holds and manipulates long instruments while looking at a 2D screen. In robotic surgery, the surgeon sits at a console and controls robotic arms that offer greater precision, a 3D magnified view, and more freedom of movement — making it especially helpful for surgeries in narrow space of the body.

Can cancer surgery be performed by robot?

Yes. Carefully selected patients and selected cancer types can undergo robotic surgery.

What types of cancer can be treated with robotic surgery?

All cancer cases suitable for laparoscopic surgery can be performed by robot. Robotic surgery is also useful in patients where laparoscopy surgery is difficult and difficult to reach those areas of the body. However it has to be chosen carefully. It is commonly used in gastrointestinal cancers like esophagus (food pipe), stomach, colon, rectum, liver, pancreas, gynaecological cancers like uterine body, ovary ( early stage) and cervix, urological cancers like kidney, bladder, prostate, thoracic cancers like lung, thymus and anterior mediastinal tumor. Recently, robotic surgery has been introduced to avoid scar in prominent areas of body especially in thyroid cancer to avoid scar in neck and in breast cancer (skin and nipple sparing mastectomy with reconstruction) to avoid scar in breast, where patient require complete removal of breast tissue due to cancer indication.

Is robotic cancer surgery safe?

Yes, robotic cancer surgery is considered to be safe and effective when performed in suitable, fit cancer patients (particularly early cancers) and performed by a surgeon who is trained and experienced in cancer surgery. However, the principle of cancer surgery has to be followed irrespective of robotic, laparoscopic or open surgery and all cancer patients has to be evaluated case by case to include in robotic surgery program. Another important point to be noted that inherent risk of complications (eg. Anastomotic leak in rectal cancer surgery) due to patient related factors may not be changed by doing robotic surgery.

What’s the additional advantage of robotic surgery in cancer patients?

Patients who require further therapy in terms of chemotherapy or radiotherapy, treatment can be started immediately following robotic surgery compared to open surgery.

Can elderly patients (>70 years) or those with other medical health problems undergo robotic surgery?

Ideally aged patients and high medical risk patients are benefitted by minimally invasive surgery. Robotic surgery is safe and its benefits can be transferred to these category of patients. So if patient is fit and cancer is suitable, always offer robotic surgery as first option.

Are there any disadvantages of robotic surgery?

The cost of surgery is much more than conventional surgery due to the equipment, training and consumables involved. However, cost of robotic surgery in Kasturba hospital is far less compared to any other metro cities. Another disadvantage is the advanced cancer, where robotic surgery become more complex or not indicated.

Is Robotic cancer surgery translates into early discharge of patients?

The patients with uterine, kidney, thymus or lung cancers, where surgery involves only removal of cancer or involved organs, patients can be discharged on 2nd or 3rd day after operation. In cases where reconstruction to maintain continuity is required ( eg: rectal cancer, oesophageal cancer or pancreatic cancer), patients can be discharged on 5th or 6th day after operation which is much lesser compare to open surgery.

Is robotic cancer surgery being performed at Kasturba hospital, Manipal?

Yes! We are happy to inform our readers that Department of Surgical Oncology under leadership of Dr Naveena Kumar AN has recently begun offering robotic cancer surgery. This step brings world-class, high-precision cancer treatment to our region, making it more accessible and cost effective to our patients and patients from other states.

In Conclusion: Robotic surgery brings precision, safety, and faster healing to cancer treatment. With this advanced facility now available in our Department of Surgical Oncology, patients no longer have to travel far for high-quality, minimally invasive cancer care.