Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy and Transoral Robotic Surgery for Human Papillomavirus–Related Oropharyngeal Cancer

Abstract

Distant metastasis (DM) remains the leading cause of death in patients treated for human papillomavirus (HPV)-related oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC). An effective treatment strategy needs to address DM while reducing treatment-related toxic effects. To assess DM-free survival in patients with HPV-OPSCC treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by transoral robotic surgery (NECTORS) and neck dissection compared with standard of care, concurrent chemoradiation (CCRT). This multicenter retrospective cohort study compares prospective data from the NECTORS treatment group with a historical cohort of patients treated with CCRT. Patients with American Joint Committee on Cancer seventh edition stage III and IVa HPV-OPSCC treated with NECTORS and CCRT between February 2010 and September 2021 were included. Data were analyzed in September 2024. Patients in the NECTORS arm were treated with 3 cycles of neoadjuvant docetaxel and cisplatin followed by TORS and neck dissection. Patients in the radiation therapy arm were treated with concurrent high-dose cisplatin and radiotherapy. DM-free survival was analyzed with Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression after adjusting for age, sex, tobacco and alcohol use, site, and cancer stage. Of 342 included patients, 282 (82.5%) were male, and the mean (SD) age was 61.4 (9.4) years. A total of 232 patients were treated with CCRT and 110 patients were treated with NECTORS. Within the CCRT arm, 11 patients (4.7%) had locoregional recurrence (LRR), 5 (2.2%) had LRR and DM, and 28 (12.1%) developed distant-only metastasis. For patients treated with NECTORS, 5 (4.5%) developed LRR, 1 (0.9%) developed LRR plus DM, and no patients developed distant-only metastasis. With pseudorandomization matching for T and N stages, 209 patients were matched between the 2 treatment groups for further analysis (105 in the CCRT treatment arm and 104 in the NECTORS arm). The median (range) follow-up period for the CCRT and NECTORS groups were 5.8 (3.8-7.5) years and 5.1 (4.0-5.9) years, respectively. The hazard ratio of developing distant recurrence in the CCRT group was 10.77 (95% CI, 1.40-82.90) in univariate analysis and 9.98 (95% CI, 1.29-77.29) in multivariable analysis. In Kaplan-Meier survival analysis, the risk of developing DM was higher in the CCRT group. The hazard ratio for failure anywhere in the CCRT group was 3.32 (95% CI, 1.23-8.97) in univariate analysis and 3.21 (95% CI, 1.18-8.72) in multivariable analysis. In this study, neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by transoral robotic surgery and neck dissection was an effective treatment option for patients with stage III and IVa HPV-OPSCC. Findings from our study suggest lower rates of DM with NECTORS worthy of further investigation in prospective randomized trials.