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Background: Survival outcomes are generally better for human papillomavirus–associated oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (HPV+ OPSCC) than other forms of head and neck cancer. However, less is known about oncologic outcomes, late adverse events, and gastrostomy tube dependence associated with salvage surgery after the failure of definitive chemoradiation in patients with HPV+ OPSCC. Methods: A secondary analysis of the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group 1016 randomized trial, which compared radiotherapy plus cetuximab to radiotherapy plus cisplatin in patients with HPV+ OPSCC, was performed. The oncologic and adverse event outcomes for patients who underwent salvage surgery were examined. Results: Among the 805 patients who were assigned to treatment and were eligible for analysis, 198 developed treatment failure. Salvage surgery was required for 61 patients (7.6%), with 33 patients undergoing salvage surgery after locoregional failure (LRF) and 28 patients undergoing salvage neck dissection within the 20 weeks after treatment. Patients with LRF who underwent salvage surgery experienced improved overall survival in comparison with patients with LRF who did not undergo surgery (45% vs. 17% at 5 years after treatment; hazard ratio, 0.41; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.23–0.74). Surgical salvage after LRF was associated with similar frequencies of late grade 3/4 dysphagia in comparison with LRF without surgery (24% [95% CI, 13%–41%] vs. 20% [95% CI, 12%–32%]; p =.64) and with similar gastrostomy tube dependence at 2 years (29% [95% CI, 15%–49%] vs. 13% [95% CI, 5%–28%]; p =.12). Conclusions: Salvage surgery in patients with HPV+ OPSCC is associated with favorable survival and adverse event outcomes. Surgical salvage is associated with improved overall survival in patients with locoregionally recurrent, human papillomavirus–associated oropharyngeal cancer. The adverse event outcomes of surgical salvage patients are comparable to those of patients with recurrence who do not undergo surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We examined the impact of treatment modality on gastrostomy tube dependence and patient‐reported outcomes in human papillomavirus‐associated oropharyngeal cancer (HPV‐OPSCC). We performed systematic review and meta‐analysis of functional outcomes 1–3 years after treatment. Twenty‐three studies were included, reporting on 3127 patients treated for HPV‐OPSCC. Gastrostomy tube dependence failed to show statistically significant difference between surgery with adjuvant therapy and chemoradiotherapy with cisplatin at 12 months (8.3% [95% CI: 3.1–15.9] vs. 4.2% [1.1–9.2], p = 0.37) and 24–36 months (10.5% [95% CI: 3.2–21.5] vs. 3.3% [2.0–4.9], p = 0.06). Surgery with adjuvant therapy was associated with worse University of Washington Quality of Life (UW‐QOL) Swallowing (84 [95% CI: 80–88] vs. 89 [87–90], p = 0.03) and UW‐QOL Overall scores (76 [95% CI: 72–80] vs. 84 [81–86], p = 0.001) compared to chemoradiotherapy with cisplatin at 12 months. Surgery with adjuvant therapy was associated with worse performance on certain measures of patient‐reported swallow and overall function compared to chemoradiotherapy with cisplatin. Further randomized controlled trials are needed to directly compare functional outcomes after treatment for HPV‐OPSCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]