It may come back in the oropharynx or in another part of the body. Treatment Option Overview How cancer of the oropharynx is treated There are treatments for all patients with cancer of the oropharynx. Surgery is a common treatment of cancer of the oropharynx. A doctor may remove the cancer and some of the healthy tissue around the cancer. A new type of surgery called micrographic surgery is being tested in clinical trials for early cancers of the oropharynx.
Micrographic surgery removes the cancer and as little normal tissue as possible.
During this surgery, the doctor removes the cancer and then uses a microscope to look at the cancerous area to make sure there are no cancer cells remaining. External radiation to the thyroid or the pituitary gland may change the way the thyroid gland works. The doctor may wish to test the thyroid gland before and after therapy to make sure it is working properly. If smoking is stopped before radiation therapy is started, there is a better chance of surviving longer. Chemotherapy uses drugs to kill cancer cells.