Established indications
These are the areas with the largest published experience and the clearest technical rationale.
- Colorectal — colectomy, low anterior resection, abdominoperineal resection
- Gynaecological — radical hysterectomy, staging lymphadenectomy, early endometrial and cervical cancer
- Upper GI — gastrectomy, selected oesophagogastric junction tumours
- Endocrine and retroperitoneal — adrenalectomy, selected sarcoma and neuroendocrine tumours
- Hepatobiliary — selected liver metastasectomy and distal pancreatectomy
Selective or emerging indications
Robotic Whipple surgery, extended peritoneal procedures and complex re-do pelvic surgery are performed in selected patients at high-volume centres. These are offered only where the robotic approach does not compromise the completeness of resection.
How suitability is assessed
Cross-sectional imaging is reviewed for tumour size, invasion of adjacent organs and relation to major vessels. Prior surgery, peritoneal disease burden, cardiorespiratory fitness and the ability to tolerate steep positioning are all considered before the approach is confirmed.
Common questions
- Can advanced or stage 4 cancer be operated robotically?
- Sometimes. Selected oligometastatic disease is resected with minimally invasive techniques, but widespread peritoneal disease usually requires open cytoreductive surgery.
Related reading
This page is general education, reviewed by Dr. Ishaan Allahabadi, MCh Surgical Oncology (Edge Hill, UK) · MS Surgery · MBBS (Accredited by the Royal College of Surgeons of England). It is not a substitute for individual medical advice. Treatment decisions are made after reviewing your imaging and pathology, in a multidisciplinary tumour board.