Postoperative Care in Oropharyngeal Cancer

Oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC) accounts for 10?15% of all head and neck malignancies. Smoking and alcohol abuse are the most significant associated etiological risk factors. Recent studies demonstrate strong correlation between OPSCC and human papillomavirus infection. Treatment options include surgery and organ-preserving approaches such as radiotherapy and chemotherapy. This review focuses on the main issues that follow the curative surgical treatment of OPSCC: management of complications, evaluation of functional outcomes, and management of recurrent and persistent disease.