Korean J Head Neck Oncol.  2024 Nov;40(2):1-5. 10.21593/kjhno/2024.40.2.1.

De-escalated Therapy for HPV Positive Oropharyngeal Cancer

• Jung YH
• Kim JH

• KMID: 2561722
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.21593/kjhno/2024.40.2.1

Abstract

Human papillomavirus-positive (HPV+) oropharyngeal cancer has a significantly better prognosis compared to HPV-negative cases, leading to a growing interest in de-escalation strategies that reduce treatment intensity without compromising oncologic outcomes. The potential for de-escalation in the treatment of HPV+ oropharyngeal cancer extends not only to radiation therapy but also to surgical interventions. This involves reducing the extent of surgery through minimally invasive techniques and minimizing the necessity or dosage of radiation therapy by employing neoadjuvant chemotherapy prior to surgery. De-escalated surgical approaches, which include minimized surgical fields, minimally invasive procedures, and the use of neoadjuvant chemotherapy, may effectively preserve oncologic control while improving patients' quality of life. However, careful patient selection and long-term outcome data are critical for optimizing these strategies.

Keyword

De-escalation⋅HPV-positive (HPV+) oropharyngeal cancer⋅Minimally invasive surgery (MIS)⋅ Neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC)⋅Transoral robotic surgery (TORS)