Skip to content
DraconiticResearch
Search Sources API
203,948 studies31 sourcesUpdated 34 min ago
Peer-reviewedCC BY-NC-ND 4.0Otolaryngology--Head and Neck Surgery

Nurse Navigation on Time to Postoperative Radiation Therapy after Transoral Robotic Surgery for Oropharyngeal Carcinoma

  • Vera Bzhilyanskaya1
  • Jane Y. Tong1
  • Theresa Vetter‐Habighorst1
  • Kelly Moyer1
  • Jeffrey Wolf1
  • Rodney Taylor1
  • Jason K. Molitoris2
  • Matthew J. Ferris2
  • Ranee Mehra3
  • Kyle M. Hatten1
  1. 1Department of Otorhinolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery University of Maryland, School of Medicine Baltimore Maryland USA
  2. 2Department of Radiation Oncology University of Maryland, School of Medicine Baltimore Maryland USA
  3. 3Department of Medical Oncology University of Maryland, School of Medicine Baltimore Maryland USA
Read full textDOICite

Abstract

Objective: Postoperative radiation therapy (PORT) initiation within 6 weeks of surgery is associated with improved oncologic outcomes in head and neck cancer, but delays remain common. Oncology nurse navigators (ONN) may improve care coordination. This study evaluates time to PORT following transoral robotic surgery (TORS) for HPV‐associated oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC) after ONN implementation.

Study Design: Retrospective chart review.

Setting: Academic tertiary care center.

Methods: Patients with HPV‐associated OPSCC treated with TORS followed by PORT between January 2016 and March 2024 were included.

Results: Ninety‐nine patients were included. Median age was 60 years and 85.9% were male. 57.6% were treated after ONN implementation. Most received PORT within our integrated academic health system (75.8%). Following ONN implementation, time from TORS to PORT decreased from 50 to 44 days (P = .02), and was associated with treatment within the integrated academic health system (52‐43 days, P = .01), adjuvant chemoradiation therapy (CRT) (56‐44 days, P = .02), and adjuvant proton beam therapy (PBT) (52‐44 days, P = .004). Among PBT‐treated patients, PORT initiation within 6 weeks increased from 6.7% to 38.3% (P = .02). The proportion of patients completing their adjuvant treatment within 100 days of TORS increased from 61.9% to 93% (P < .001).

Conclusion: ONN implementation is associated with earlier PORT initiation and shorter treatment package time following TORS for HPV‐associated OPSCC, with the greatest improvement observed among patients receiving PBT, CRT, and those treated within the integrated academic health system.

Related

  1. Longitudinal Functional Outcomes After Transoral Robotic Surgery Versus Transoral Videolaryngoscopic Surgery for Oropharyngeal Cancer: A Retrospective Single‐Center Study
    Kazufumi Obata, Kenji Okami, Kaori Zenba +6
    Laryngoscope investigative otolaryngologyPeer-reviewedCC BY-NC-NDFull textGeneral medicineEurope PMC
  2. Postoperative hemorrhage and perioperative outcomes in single-port versus multi-port transoral robotic surgery for upper airway disease.
    Wan-Ni Lin, Wei-Hsuan Lee, Li-Jen Hsin +7
    Journal of robotic surgeryPeer-reviewedCC BY-NC-NDFull textSurgery & anaesthesiaEurope PMC
  3. Response-adapted de-escalation in human papilloma virus-related oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma.
    John W R Kincaid, Jonathan D Schoenfeld, Mina Bakhtiar
    Translational cancer researchPeer-reviewedCC BY-NC-NDFull textGeneral medicineEurope PMC
  4. Cystic Liver Metastasis from Oropharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma Mimicking A Benign Hepatic Cystic Lesion
    Yuya Ishiguro, Yoshihiko Hiraga, Koji Atsuta +1
    Internal MedicinePeer-reviewedCC BY-NC-NDFull textGeneral medicineJ-STAGE
  5. NOSES-facilitated transoral en-bloc excision of tongue squamous cell carcinoma via an adapted face-lift method: an initial technical case series.
    Wei-Qi Wang, Sina Ahmadi, Danial Mohammadpour +7
    BMC oral healthPeer-reviewedCC BY-NC-NDFull textGeneral medicineEurope PMCPMC

Cite

BibTeXRIS
BibTeX
@article{bzhilyanskaya2026nurse,
  title = {{Nurse Navigation on Time to Postoperative Radiation Therapy after Transoral Robotic Surgery for Oropharyngeal Carcinoma}},
  author = {Vera Bzhilyanskaya and Jane Y. Tong and Theresa Vetter‐Habighorst and Kelly Moyer and Jeffrey Wolf and Rodney Taylor and Jason K. Molitoris and Matthew J. Ferris and Ranee Mehra and Kyle M. Hatten},
  journal = {Otolaryngology--Head and Neck Surgery},
  year = {2026},
  month = jul,
  doi = {10.1002/ohn.70351},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.1002/ohn.70351},
  note = {CC BY-NC-ND 4.0},
}
RIS
TY  - JOUR
TI  - Nurse Navigation on Time to Postoperative Radiation Therapy after Transoral Robotic Surgery for Oropharyngeal Carcinoma
AU  - Vera Bzhilyanskaya
AU  - Jane Y. Tong
AU  - Theresa Vetter‐Habighorst
AU  - Kelly Moyer
AU  - Jeffrey Wolf
AU  - Rodney Taylor
AU  - Jason K. Molitoris
AU  - Matthew J. Ferris
AU  - Ranee Mehra
AU  - Kyle M. Hatten
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/07/30
JO  - Otolaryngology--Head and Neck Surgery
DO  - 10.1002/ohn.70351
UR  - https://doi.org/10.1002/ohn.70351
AB  - Objective: Postoperative radiation therapy (PORT) initiation within 6 weeks of surgery is associated with improved oncologic outcomes in head and neck cancer, but delays remain common. Oncology nurse navigators (ONN) may improve care coordination. This study evaluates time to PORT following transoral robotic surgery (TORS) for HPV‐associated oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC) after ONN implementation.  Study Design: Retrospective chart review.  Setting: Academic tertiary care center.  Methods: Patients with HPV‐associated OPSCC treated with TORS followed by PORT between January 2016 and March 2024 were included.  Results: Ninety‐nine patients were included. Median age was 60 years and 85.9% were male. 57.6% were treated after ONN implementation. Most received PORT within our integrated academic health system (75.8%). Following ONN implementation, time from TORS to PORT decreased from 50 to 44 days (P = .02), and was associated with treatment within the integrated academic health system (52‐43 days, P = .01), adjuvant chemoradiation therapy (CRT) (56‐44 days, P = .02), and adjuvant proton beam therapy (PBT) (52‐44 days, P = .004). Among PBT‐treated patients, PORT initiation within 6 weeks increased from 6.7% to 38.3% (P = .02). The proportion of patients completing their adjuvant treatment within 100 days of TORS increased from 61.9% to 93% (P < .001).  Conclusion: ONN implementation is associated with earlier PORT initiation and shorter treatment package time following TORS for HPV‐associated OPSCC, with the greatest improvement observed among patients receiving PBT, CRT, and those treated within the integrated academic health system.
SN  - 0194-5998
SN  - 1097-6817
ER  -