Surgical management of oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma: Survival and functional outcomes

Background The purpose of this study was to further define the impact of primary surgery in the management of oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). Methods Two hundred ninety‐six patients with oropharyngeal SCC treated with primary surgery were included. Multivariable analysis and recursive partitioning analysis (RPA) identified predictors of survival and gastrostomy tube presence. Results Multivariable analysis identified that HPV negativity (p = .0002), presence of extranodal extension (p = .0025), and advanced T classification (p = .0081) were independent predictors of survival. For HPV‐positive patients, surgical approach (p = .0111) and margin status (p = .0287) were significant predictors of survival. For HPV‐negative patients, extranodal extension (p = .0021) and advanced T classification (p = .0342) were significant predictors of survival. Smoking status and advanced neck disease did not impact survival, and the addition of adjuvant chemotherapy did not confer survival benefit in HPV‐positive or HPV‐negative subgroups. Conclusion Independent predictors of survival are unique in patients with oropharyngeal SCC treated with primary surgery. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck 38: E1794–E1802, 2016