Adjuvant Treatment Deintensification After Transoral Surgery for Human Papillomavirus-Positive Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC), commonly known as throat cancer or tonsil cancer, has seen a dramatic rise in incidence over the last twenty years. There are two types of OPSCC: human papillomavirus-positive (HPV+) and human papillomavirus-negative (HPV-). People with OPSCC, regardless of their type, typically receive standard treatment with a combination of chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and surgery. Due to the intensity of standard treatment, survivors may experience unwanted long-term side effects. The goal of this research study is to see if intensifying (stopping or scaling back) treatment still provides the same, or perhaps even better, results when compared to standard treatment.