Oropharyngeal Cancer Treatment Option Overview

There are different types of treatment for people with oropharyngeal cancer.

Different types of treatments are available for oropharyngeal cancer. You and your cancer care team will work together to decide your treatment plan, which may include more than one type of treatment. Many factors will be considered, such as the stage of the cancer, your overall health, and your preferences. Your plan will include information about your cancer, the goals of treatment, your treatment options and the possible side effects, and the expected length of treatment. 

Talking with your cancer care team before treatment begins about what to expect will be helpful. You'll want to learn what you need to do before treatment begins, how you'll feel while going through it, and what kind of help you will need. Learn more at Questions to Ask Your Doctor About Your Treatment.   

People with oropharyngeal cancer should have their treatment planned by a team of doctors with expertise in treating head and neck cancer.

An oncologist, a doctor who specializes in treating people with cancer, oversees treatment for oropharyngeal cancer. Because the oropharynx helps in breathing, eating, and talking, you may need help adjusting to the side effects of the cancer and its treatment. The oncologist may refer you to other health care providers who are experts in treating head and neck cancer and also specialize in other areas of medicine. Other specialists may include:

• head and neck surgeon
• radiation oncologist
• plastic surgeon
• dentist
• dietitian
• psychologist
• rehabilitation specialist
• speech therapist

The following types of treatment are used:

Surgery

Surgery to remove the tumor is a common treatment for all stages of oropharyngeal cancer. A surgeon may remove the cancer and some of the healthy tissue around the cancer. After the surgeon removes all the cancer that can be seen at the time of the surgery, some people may be given chemotherapy or radiation therapy after surgery to kill any cancer cells that are left. Treatment given after the surgery, to lower the risk that the cancer will come back, is called adjuvant therapy.

New types of surgery, including transoral robotic surgery, are being studied for the treatment of oropharyngeal cancer. Transoral robotic surgery may be used to remove cancer from hard-to-reach areas of the mouth and throat. Cameras attached to a robot give a 3-dimensional (3D) image that a surgeon can see. Using a computer, the surgeon guides very small tools at the ends of the robot arms to remove the cancer. This procedure may also be done using an endoscope.

Learn more about Surgery to Treat Cancer.

Radiation therapy

Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays or other types of radiation to kill cancer cells or keep them from growing by damaging their DNA. External radiation therapy uses a machine outside the body to send radiation toward the area of the body with cancer.

Certain ways of giving radiation therapy can help keep radiation from damaging nearby healthy tissue. These types of radiation therapy include:

• Intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT): IMRT is a type of 3-dimensional (3-D) radiation therapy that uses a computer to make pictures of the size and shape of the tumor. Thin beams of radiation of different intensities (strengths) are aimed at the tumor from many angles.
• Stereotactic body radiation therapy: Stereotactic body radiation therapy is a type of external radiation therapy. Special equipment is used to place the person in the same position for each radiation treatment. Once a day for several days, a radiation machine aims a larger than usual dose of radiation directly at the tumor. By having the person in the same position for each treatment, there is less damage to nearby healthy tissue. This procedure is also called stereotactic external-beam radiation therapy and stereotaxic radiation therapy.

In advanced oropharyngeal cancer, dividing the daily dose of radiation into smaller-dose treatments improves the way the tumor responds to treatment. This is called hyperfractionated radiation therapy.

Radiation therapy may work better in people who have stopped smoking before beginning treatment.

If the thyroid or pituitary gland are part of the radiation treatment area, the person has an increased risk of hypothyroidism (too little thyroid hormone). A blood test to check the thyroid hormone level in the body should be done before and after treatment.

Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy uses drugs to stop the growth of cancer cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing. Chemotherapy for oropharyngeal cancer is usually systemic, meaning it is taken by mouth or injected into a vein or muscle. When given this way, the drugs enter the bloodstream and can reach cancer cells throughout the body.

Chemotherapy drugs used to treat oropharyngeal cancer include:

Combinations of these drugs may be used. Other chemotherapy drugs not listed here may also be used.

Chemotherapy may be combined with other types of treatment, such as radiation therapy.

To learn more about how chemotherapy works, how it is given, common side effects, and more, visit Chemotherapy to Treat Cancer and Chemotherapy and You: Support for People With Cancer.

Targeted therapy

Targeted therapy uses drugs or other substances to identify and attack specific cancer cells. is a type of targeted therapy used to treat recurrent and metastatic oropharyngeal cancer.

Learn more about Targeted Therapy to Treat Cancer. 

Immunotherapy

Immunotherapy is a treatment that uses a person's immune system to fight cancer. Your doctor may suggest biomarker tests to help predict your response to certain immunotherapy drugs. Learn more about Biomarker Testing for Cancer Treatment.   

and are types of immunotherapy used to treat metastatic or recurrent oropharyngeal cancer.

Learn more about Immunotherapy to Treat Cancer.

New types of treatment are being tested in clinical trials.

A treatment clinical trial is a research study meant to help improve current treatments or obtain information on new treatments for patients with cancer. For some patients, taking part in a clinical trial may be an option.

Use our clinical trial search to find NCI-supported cancer clinical trials that are accepting patients. You can search for trials based on the type of cancer, the age of the patient, and where the trials are being done. Clinical trials supported by other organizations can be found on the ClinicalTrials.gov website.

To learn more about clinical trials, see Clinical Trials Information for Patients and Caregivers.

Treatment for oropharyngeal cancer may cause side effects.

For information about side effects caused by treatment for cancer, visit our Side Effects page.

Follow-up care may be needed.

As you go through treatment, you will have follow-up tests or check-ups. Some tests that were done to diagnose or stage the cancer may be repeated to see how well the treatment is working. Decisions about whether to continue, change, or stop treatment may be based on the results of these tests.

Some of the tests will continue to be done from time to time after treatment has ended. The results of these tests can show if your condition has changed or if the cancer has recurred (come back).

After treatment is complete, it is important to have head and neck exams to look for signs that the cancer has come back. Check-ups will be done every 6 to 12 weeks in the first year, every 3 months in the second year, every 3 to 4 months in the third year, and every 6 months thereafter.