Dr. Ferris on the Safety Profile of Transoral Robotic Surgical Resection in Oropharynx Cancer

Robert L. Ferris, MD, PhD, director of University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) Hillman Cancer Center, Hillman Professor of Oncology, associate vice chancellor for cancer research, professor of otolaryngology, immunology, and radiation oncology, co-director, Tumor Microenvironment Center, UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, discusses the safety profile of transoral robotic surgical resection in oropharynx cancer.

During the 2020 ASCO Virtual Scientific Program, findings from the phase 2 ECOG-ACRIN E3311 trial showed that transoral resection is safe and can provide good oncologic outcome for patients with p16-positive oropharynx cancer. Moreover, the results suggest that transoral surgery could be a valid deintensification approach.

Historically, some patients have experienced severe, life-threatening bleeding following transoral surgical resection, explains Ferris.

The rate of severe bleeding among 519 patients in this study was around 5% to 6% with 1 patient death, said Ferris.

Additionally, rates of positive margins following transoral surgical resection was low, at around 3% to 4%, Ferris concludes.