“If I had a robot.”

Abstract

Optimal case selection is critical to success in any robotic surgical treatment plan. In the Western world, transoral robotic surgery (TORS) is often employed as a de-escalation strategy in the evolving treatment of HPV-associated oropharyngeal malignancies. Since the orator trials [1,2] endorsed an overall superiority of radiotherapy for treating oropharyngeal cancers, there has been growing skepticism about its rampant and indiscriminate use in head and neck cancers. The current perspective article positions TORS in its evidence base and calibrates it to our routine practice.