Premium
Comparing national practice versus standard guidelines for the use of adjuvant treatment following robotic surgery for oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma
Author(s) -
Bates James E.,
Hitchcock Kathryn E.,
Mendenhall William M.,
Dziegielewski Peter T.,
Amdur Robert J.
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
head and neck
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.012
H-Index - 127
eISSN - 1097-0347
pISSN - 1043-3074
DOI - 10.1002/hed.26311
Subject(s) - medicine , radiation therapy , stage (stratigraphy) , adjuvant , chemotherapy , adjuvant radiotherapy , transoral robotic surgery , surgery , basal cell , robotic surgery , cancer , adjuvant therapy , oncology , paleontology , biology
Background Recent historical management of oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma typically includes radiotherapy with/without chemotherapy. Novel surgical techniques such as robotic surgery have made primary surgery more frequent; however, postoperative radiotherapy may be recommended. We aimed to assess adherence to guidelines for postoperative therapy following robotic surgery. Methods Using the National Cancer Database, we analyzed the frequency of radiotherapy following robotic surgery for cT1‐3cN0‐2cM0 squamous cell carcinoma of the oropharynx, specifically in the presence of widely accepted indications for postoperative radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy. Results Approximately two‐thirds of patients received radiotherapy after robotic surgery for early‐intermediate stage oropharyngeal cancer. One in five patients with an indication for adjuvant radiotherapy and 1/3 with an indication for adjuvant chemotherapy did not receive recommended adjuvant therapy. Conclusions A high proportion of patients require radiotherapy after robotic surgery for early‐intermediate stage oropharyngeal cancer. Patients with an indication for further adjuvant therapy commonly do not receive it.