Progress in Surgical Oncology: The Impact of Robotics on Patient Outcomes and Surgical Practice

Robotic-assisted surgery is reshaping the landscape of surgical oncology. Robotic surgery promises enhanced precision, improved visualisation, and greater dexterity. However, real-world benefits, cost-effectiveness, and equitable implementation remain debated. This Research Topic accepts original research, systematic reviews, meta-analyses, clinical trials, technical reports, and perspectives that rigorously evaluate how robotics is transforming oncologic outcomes and surgical practice across tumour types and health systems.

Over the last decade, robotic platforms have expanded rapidly across oncologic specialities, including urologic, gynecologic, colorectal, hepatopancreatobiliary, thoracic, and head and neck oncology. While early adoption emphasised feasibility and ergonomics, contemporary questions centre on high-value care: Do robotics improve short- and long-term oncologic outcomes? How do they influence oncological and perioperative outcomes, technological innovations, and health system equity?

This Research Topic aims to synthesise robust evidence and highlight methodologically sound innovations that inform patient-centred, cost-conscious, and ethically grounded surgical oncology.

Key Themes and Topics of Interest:
- Oncologic outcomes: Margin status, lymph node numbers, recurrence patterns, and survival.
- Perioperative outcomes and recovery: Complications (Clavien-Dindo), conversion rates, blood loss, operative time, length of stay, readmissions, ERAS integration, and patient-reported outcomes (pain, function, QoL).
- Technology, techniques, and innovation: Advanced imaging, fluorescence guidance, energy devices, haptics, single-port systems, telesurgery, and adjunctive AI/ML for intraoperative navigation and workflow optimisation.
- Learning curves, training, and credentialing: Simulation, proctorship, competency-based assessment, curriculum design, and multi-institutional training outcomes.
- Health systems, equity, and value: Cost-effectiveness, resource utilisation, access disparities, global adoption patterns, environmental impact, and implementation science in diverse settings.

Article Types
Original research (including RCTs, prospective cohorts, pragmatic trials, and robust retrospective studies)
Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (adhering to PRISMA and registered where appropriate)
Brief Research Reports and Clinical Trial Protocols
Techniques, Methods, and Technology Reports (with standardised outcomes and replicable detail)
Perspectives, Opinions, and Mini-Reviews (policy, ethics, training, and equity)
Data Reports from registries or multicenter datasets (with transparent methodology and data standards)

Please note: manuscripts consisting solely of bioinformatics, computational analysis, or predictions of public databases which are not accompanied by validation (independent clinical or patient cohort, or biological validation in vitro or in vivo, which are not based on public databases) are not suitable for publication in this journal.

Article types and fees

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Case Report
• Clinical Trial
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• ... View all formats

Articles that are accepted for publication by our external editors following rigorous peer review incur a publishing fee charged to Authors, institutions, or funders.

Article types

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Case Report
• Clinical Trial
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Review
• Study Protocol
• Systematic Review
• Technology and Code

Keywords: Robotic surgery, Surgical oncology, Patient-reported outcomes, Comparative effectiveness

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.