Table 3.
Comparison of key findings of this case series to 2019 meta-analysis of transoral robotic surgery for head and neck cancer of unknown primary15
| Key finding | Farooq et al (2019)15 | St George’s University Hospital case series |
|---|---|---|
| Demographics: | ||
| Mean age | 56.6 years | 59.4 years |
| Sex | 88% male, 12% female | 79.6% male, 20.4% female |
| Diagnostic workup | Heterogenous between studies | 100% concordance to BAHNO guidance |
| Timing of TORS most effective at end of diagnostic pathway | 100% of TORS procedures at the end of the diagnostic pathway | |
| P16 positive status | 70.5% | 82.6% |
| Primary identification rate: | ||
| Oropharyngeal | 74% | 67.8% |
| Tongue-base/lingual tonsillectomy | 53% (95% CI 43–63%) | 63.2% |
| Haemorrhage rate | 4.9% | 10.7% (n = 3) |
| Length of stay | Range 1.4–6.3 days | Median 1.0 days |