What Researchers Did
Researchers retrospectively reviewed 190 HPV-positive oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma patients to compare outcomes of minimally invasive surgery with adjuvant intensity-modulated radiotherapy (AT) versus definitive surgical therapy (ST).
What They Found
Among 116 AT patients and 42 ST patients, adjuvant radiotherapy significantly improved disease-free survival (HR 2.77, p=0.02) and local-regional control (HR 14.83, p=0.001). This benefit was also observed for disease-free survival in AT patients with tumor extracapsular extension (HR 4.34, p=0.006).
What This Means for Canadian Patients
For Canadian patients with HPV-positive oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma, these findings suggest that adjuvant radiotherapy following minimally invasive surgery may offer improved disease control. Patients should discuss with their care team whether this treatment approach is suitable for their specific condition.
Canadian Relevance
This study did not include any Canadian patients or institutions, therefore direct Canadian relevance is not established.
Study Limitations
This retrospective study's limitations include the potential for selection bias, as the adjuvant therapy group contained more high-risk patients and was significantly larger than the definitive surgery group.