Functional swallowing outcomes following treatment for oropharyngeal carcinoma: a systematic review of the evidence comparing trans-oral surgery versus non-surgical management.

Trans-oral surgical and non-surgical management options for oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC) appear to offer similar survival outcomes. Functional outcomes, in particular swallowing, have become of increasing interest in the debate regarding treatment options. Contemporary reviews on function following treatment frequently include surrogate markers and limit the value of comparative analysis.