Transoral resection of pharyngeal cancer: summary of a National Cancer Institute Head and Neck Cancer Steering Committee Clinical Trials Planning Meeting, November 6-7, 2011, Arlington, Virginia.

Recent advances now permit resection of many pharyngeal tumors through the open mouth, an approach that can greatly reduce the morbidity of surgical exposure. These transoral techniques are being rapidly adopted by the surgical community and hold considerable promise. On November 6-7, 2011, the National Cancer Institute sponsored a Clinical Trials Planning Meeting to address how to further investigate the use of transoral surgery, both in the good prognosis human papillomavirus (HPV)-initiated oropharyngeal cancers, and in those with HPV-unrelated disease. The proceedings of this meeting are summarized.

Volume-based trends in surgical care of patients with oropharyngeal cancer.

OBJECTIVE: Positive volume-outcome relationships exist for diseases treated with technically complex surgery. Contemporary patterns of oropharyngeal cancer surgery by hospital and surgeon volume are poorly defined. METHODS: The Maryland Health Service Cost Review Commission database was queried for hospital and surgeon oropharyngeal cancer surgical case volumes from 1990 to 2009. RESULTS: Overall, 1,534 oropharyngeal cancer surgeries were performed by 238 surgeons at 41 hospitals. Cases performed by high-volume surgeons increased from 18.9% in 1990 to 1999 to 24.8% in 2000 to 2009 (odds ratio [OR] = 1.5, P = .002), whereas cases performed at high-volume hospitals increased from 35.0% to 41.8% (OR = 1.7, P <.001). High-volume surgeons were significantly associated with university hospitals (OR = 25.9, P < .001) and were more likely to perform partial glossectomy (OR = 1.8, P = .002), total glossectomy (OR = 3.8, P < .001), and neck dissection (OR = 2.3, P < .001). High-volume hospitals were significantly associated with tonsillectomy (OR = 3.0, P < .001), partial glossectomy (OR = 1.4, P = .044), total glossectomy (OR = 4.3, P < .001), neck dissection (OR = 3.1, P < .001), flap reconstruction (OR = 1.9, P = .028), and prior radiation (OR = 5.0, P < .001). After controlling for other variables, oropharyngeal cancer surgery in 2000 to 2009 was associated with increased utilization of university hospitals (OR = 1.7, P < .001), increased mortality risk scores (OR = 3.1, P = .022), prior radiation (OR = 4.9, P = .011), and a decrease in partial glossectomy (OR = 0.5, P < .001), total glossectomy (OR = 0.4, P = .004), pharyngectomy (OR = 0.6, P = .007), and mandibulectomy (OR = 0.6, P = .022) procedures. CONCLUSIONS: The proportion of oropharyngeal cancer surgery patients treated by high-volume surgeons and hospitals increased significantly from 1990 to 1999 to 2000 to 2009, with a decrease in partial glossectomy, total glossectomy, pharyngectomy, and mandibulectomy procedures. These findings may be due to changing trends in the primary management of oropharyngeal cancer.

Impact of surgeon and hospital volume on short-term outcomes and cost of oropharyngeal cancer surgical care.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the impact of surgeon and hospital case volume and other related variables on short-term outcomes after surgery for oropharyngeal cancer. METHODS: The Maryland Health Service Cost Review Commission database was queried for oropharyngeal cancer surgical case volumes from 1990 to 2009. Multivariable regression models were used to identify significant associations between surgeon and hospital case volume, as well as independent variables predictive of in-hospital death, postoperative wound complications, length of hospitalization, and hospital-related cost of care. RESULTS: Overall, 1,534 oropharyngeal cancer surgeries were performed during the study period. Complete financial data was available for 1,482 oropharyngeal cancer surgeries, performed by 233 surgeons at 36 hospitals. The only independently significant factors associated with the risk of in-hospital death were an APR-DRG mortality risk score of 4 (odds ratio [OR] = 14.0, P < .001) and total glossectomy (OR = 5.6, P = .020). Wound fistula or dehiscence was associated with an increased mortality risk score (OR = 5.9, P < .001), total glossectomy (OR = 6.9, P < .001), mandibulectomy (OR = 3.4, P < .001), and flap reconstruction (OR = 2.1, P = .038). Increased mortality risk score, total glossectomy, pharyngectomy, mandibulectomy, flap reconstruction, neck dissection, and Black race were associated with an increased length of stay and hospital-related costs. After controlling for all other variables, a statistically significant negative correlation was observed between surgery at a high-volume hospital and length of hospitalization and hospital-related costs. CONCLUSIONS: After controlling for other factors, high-volume hospital care is associated with a shorter length of hospitalization and lower hospital-related cost of care for oropharyngeal cancer surgery.