• Largest national dataset shows robotic-assisted surgery can deliver consistent outcomes across diverse hospitals and patient profiles

National : A retrospective Indian study is underscoring the expanding role of robotic-assisted surgery in enhancing outcomes and quality of life for kidney cancer patients. Conducted by the Indian Study Group on Partial Nephrectomy (ISGPN), the analysis covered 782 robotic-assisted partial nephrectomies (RAPN) performed with da Vinci robotic technology over 12 years across 14 leading hospitals. It represents the largest Indian dataset on robotic kidney cancer surgery to date, offering robust real-world evidence on surgical safety, consistency, and long-term preservation of kidney function.

According to Dr. Sudhir Rawal, Medical Director and Chief of Urogenito Oncology at Rajiv Gandhi Cancer Institute and Research Centre (RGCIRC), Delhi, one of the lead contributors to the study, the findings confirm that robotic-assisted partial nephrectomy by using da Vinci delivers strong and consistent outcomes even in patients with tumours of varying size and complexity. “The analysis showed high oncologic safety with 94.9% of patients achieving complete tumour removal with clear surgical margins. Blood loss was minimal, as nearly 98% did not require transfusion. The overall conversion rate was only 0.4%, with zero conversions even in complex cases. Major complications were limited to just 2.5%, and no patient mortality was observed across the 782 cases, underscoring the reliability of this approach.”

The study also evaluated patients against internationally recognised benchmarks of surgical success known as trifecta and pentafecta. Dr. Rawal explained, “Trifecta combines three key measures: complete tumour removal, no perioperative complications, and keeping the interruption of blood supply to the kidney within safe limits. Pentafecta adds two more criteria: long-term preservation of kidney function and no worsening of chronic kidney disease at one year. More than half the patients achieved trifecta outcomes, and a significant proportion also met the pentafecta benchmark, highlighting both short-term safety and sustained clinical benefits for patients.”

Offering further perspective on the findings, Dr. Anant Kumar, Chairman of Uro-Oncology, Robotic & Kidney Transplantation, Max Hospitals, New Delhi, a key contributor, said, “This study shows that high-quality outcomes with robotic-assisted surgery are achievable across public and private hospitals alike, and it represents an important step in building India’s own evidence base for advanced kidney cancer care. We now have the scale and outcome data to support safer, more precise and kidney-sparing surgery in Indian patients. It also helps define India-specific clinical standards for RAPN, which are important for shaping surgical training, quality improvement and future reimbursement policies.”

Dr. Gagan Gautam, Chairman- Uro-oncology And Robotic Surgery at Medanta, Gurugram, another core contributor, believes the findings reflect a broader shift in how kidney cancer care is being approached in India. He noted that more hospitals are adopting minimally invasive technologies, not only to improve surgical precision but also to enable faster recovery, preserve organ function, and ensure effective tumour removal.

“With kidney disease affecting a growing number of patients, protecting kidney function during cancer treatment is now more crucial than ever. What this study demonstrates is that India now has both the clinical evidence and the healthcare ecosystem to make that transformation a reality. It signals a new era where patient outcomes and quality of life are at the centre of cancer care,” Dr. Gautam concluded.

The study group, ISGPN, had leading urologists and uro-oncologists from across India, representing premier institutions such as Rajiv Gandhi Cancer Institute & Research Centre, PGIMER–Chandigarh, Muljibhai Patel Urological Hospital–Nadiad, Medanta–Gurugram, DKS Super Speciality Hospital–Raipur, Aster Medicity–Kochi, Manipal Hospital–Bengaluru, Max Healthcare–Delhi, Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences–Kochi, Fortis Hospital–Bengaluru, Apollo Hospitals in Chennai and Hyderabad, HCG Cancer Centres in Ahmedabad and Bengaluru, and Catalyst Clinical Services–Delhi, with scientific support from Intuitive Surgical.