Systematic Review of Validated Quality of Life and Swallow Outcomes after Transoral Robotic Surgery

Objective To systematically review the available evidence on the effects of transoral robotic surgery (TORS) on the posttreatment quality of life (QOL) and swallow function of patients with head and neck cancer. Data Sources PubMed and Ovid electronic databases were searched from inception to July 6, 2016. Specific database functions were applied to maximize the search. Review Methods Articles in the database were reviewed for inclusion by 2 independent reviewers according to predetermined eligibility criteria. The references of relevant articles were then hand-searched to identify additional manuscripts. For included articles, the study characteristics and relevant data were extracted. Results Of 103 articles screened, 20 reporting validated measures of QOL and/or swallow outcomes for 659 patients were eligible for inclusion. Fourteen were observational studies or case series and did not compare the TORS group with another intervention. Two were prospective nonrandomized clinical trials that compared outcomes between TORS and primary chemoradiation. Four were cohort studies comparing TORS with other treatment approaches and modalities, including open surgical approaches and transoral laser microsurgery. Overall, most patients who underwent TORS +/- adjuvant therapy reported a return to baseline QOL and swallow function by 6 to 12 months posttreatment. Several studies demonstrated superior QOL and swallowing outcomes when compared with primary chemoradiation or open approaches. Conclusions Available evidence suggests that patients who undergo TORS for head and neck cancer have good QOL and swallowing outcomes after treatment, but outcomes are dependent on baseline function, T stage, and adjuvant treatment status.