Outcomes for potentially Resectable patients undergoing primary chemoradiation treatment for T1-T2 HPV Negative oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma.

Background: Transoral surgical resectability (TOS) is a prognostic factor for patients with HPV+ T1-2 oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC) disease undergoing radiotherapy (RT), but it is unclear whether this holds for HPV-negative (HPV-) patients. We aimed to compare outcomes of potential TOS-candidates vs. non-TOS candidates, among patients who underwent RT/CRT for early T-stage HPV- OPSCC.

The Impact of Surgical Resectability on Outcomes for Patients Undergoing Primary Radiation Treatment for Human Papillomavirus-Related Oropharyngeal Cancer.

Purpose: Primary radiation therapy with or without chemotherapy (RT/CRT) is the most common treatment for oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinomas (OPSCC), but there has been an increase in transoral surgery (TOS) for T1-2 tumors. Because only a subset of T1-2 tumors are TOS-favorable, nonrandomized comparisons between RT/CRT and TOS could be confounded by indication. We aimed to compare outcomes of potential TOS-candidates versus non-TOS candidates, among patients who underwent RT/CRT for early T-stage OPSCC.