Short-term patient reported health-related quality of life (HRQL) outcomes after robot-assisted radical cystectomy (RARC)

Objective To determine short-term health-related quality of life (HRQL) outcomes after robot-assisted radical cystectomy (RARC) using the Bladder Cancer Index (BCI) and European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) Body Image Scale (BIS). Patients and Methods All patients undergoing RARC were enrolled in a quality assurance database. The patients completed two validated questionnaires, BCI and BIS, preoperatively and at standardised postoperative intervals. The primary outcome measure was difference in interval and baseline BCI and BIS scores. Complications were identified and classified by Clavien grade. Results In all, 43 patients completed pre- and postoperative questionnaires There was a decline in the urinary domain at 0-1 month after RARC (P = 0.006), but this returned to baseline by 1-2 months. There was a decline in the bowel domain at 0-1 month (P < 0.001) and 1-2 months (P = 0.024) after RARC, but this returned to baseline by 2-4 months. The decline in BCI scores was greatest for the sexual function domain, but this returned to baseline by 16-24 months after RARC. Body image perception using BIS showed no significant change after RARC except at the 4-10 months period (P = 0.018). Conclusions Based on BCI and BIS scores HRQL outcomes after RARC show recovery of urinary and bowel domains ≤6 months. Longer follow-up with a larger cohort of patients will help refine HRQL outcomes.