Surgical treatment of early-stage oropharyngeal cancer (T1–2N0–2bM0)

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Abstract

Introduction. Currently, oropharyngeal cancer is an important problem in oncology due to yearly morbidity growth. Most commonly, human papilloma virus-associated tumors are diagnosed. Tumors of the oropharynx are characterized by aggressive progression and high rate of regional metastases. The main 2 approaches to treatment of this pathology are surgical interventions on the primary lesion in the form of transoral interventions (laser microsurgery, robot-assisted interventions) or, less frequently, open surgeries, with subsequent observation, radiation / chemoradiation therapy per indications or chemoradiation therapy with surgical intervention in cases of residual tumor or locoregional recurrence. Both approaches allow to achieve high overall and recurrence-free survival but differ in complications and functional results.

Aim. To evaluate efficacy of surgical treatment in the form of transoral surgical interventions in patients with early stage Т1–2N0–2bM0 oropharyngeal cancer.

Materials and methods. The study included 120 patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the oropharynx Т1–2N0–2bM0 who underwent surgical treatment in the form of transoral surgical interventions.

Results. Surgical treatment allowed to determine the exact stage of tumor process, form a group with high risk of disease progression, and formulate a plan of postoperative therapy which affected oncological outcomes.

Conclusion. Surgical treatment of oropharyngeal cancer can serve as an independent option or be used in combination with other techniques and allows to achieve good oncological, functional and esthetic results, as well as to plan adjuvant therapy.

About the authors

M. A. Kropotov

A.F. Tsyb Medical Radiological Research Center – branch of the National Medical Research Radiological Centre, Ministry of Health of Russia

Author for correspondence.
Email: drkropotov@mail.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0002-9132-3416
Russian Federation, 4 Koroleva St., Obninsk 249036

E. R. Oganyan

N.N. Blokhin National Medical Research Center of Oncology, Ministry of Health of Russia

Email: drkropotov@mail.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0001-6287-4836
Russian Federation, 24 Kashirskoe Shosse, Moscow 115522

S. B. Alieva

N.N. Blokhin National Medical Research Center of Oncology, Ministry of Health of Russia

Email: drkropotov@mail.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0002-6835-5567
Russian Federation, 24 Kashirskoe Shosse, Moscow 115522

V. Z. Dobrokhotova

Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Ministry of Health of Russia (Sechenov University)

Email: drkropotov@mail.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0001-5889-392X
Russian Federation, Bld. 2, 8 Trubetskaya St., Moscow 119991

K. A. Ganina

Oncological Center No. 1, City Clinical Hospital named after S. S. Yudin, Moscow Healthcare Department

Email: drkropotov@mail.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0003-4944-2507
Russian Federation, 18A Zagorodnoye Shosse, Moscow 117152

F. M. Akbieva

Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Ministry of Health of Russia (Sechenov University)

Email: drkropotov@mail.ru
ORCID iD: 0009-0008-2085-7518
Russian Federation, Bld. 2, 8 Trubetskaya St., Moscow 119991

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Copyright (c) 2026 Kropotov M.A., Oganyan E.R., Alieva S.B., Dobrokhotova V.Z., Ganina K.A., Akbieva F.M.

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