New Robotic Surgery Technique Offers Hope for Oral Cancer Patients in Taiwan

Taipei Veterans General Hospital is advancing head and neck cancer treatment with a novel approach that integrates neoadjuvant chemotherapy with robotic-assisted surgery. This innovative method targets oral and throat cancers, which traditionally require extensive surgery that can severely impact a patient's appearance, swallowing, and speech.

The new protocol involves administering two to three cycles of neoadjuvant chemotherapy, each lasting about two weeks. This pre-operative chemotherapy is designed to shrink the tumor significantly. Following the chemotherapy, surgeons use robotic systems for precise, minimally invasive transoral removal. This technique aims to preserve as much healthy tissue as possible, thereby minimizing the functional and aesthetic consequences of the surgery.

Reconstructive surgery, also performed using robotic systems, follows tumor removal. The plastic surgery team utilizes the robotic system for intraoral free flap reconstruction, enhancing precision and stability. The decision for additional radiation or chemotherapy is then based on the pathological examination of the removed tumor.

A notable success story involves a patient, Ms. Xiao, who had a recurrence of tongue cancer in 2025. Traditional surgery would have necessitated cutting through her jawbone, leading to significant disfigurement and functional impairment. Instead, she underwent two cycles of neoadjuvant chemotherapy, which reduced her tumor and pain. Subsequently, robotic transoral surgery and reconstruction were performed without any facial or jawbone incisions. Post-surgery pathology confirmed complete tumor eradication and no lymph node metastasis, eliminating the need for further radiation or chemotherapy. Ms. Xiao recovered her ability to eat and speak within 10 days, with her appearance and functions largely restored.