Enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) in head and neck oncologic surgery: Impact on return to intended oncologic therapy (RIOT) and survival

Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) pathways in head and neck cancer (HNC) have shown to improve perioperative outcomes and reduce complications. The longer term implications on adjuvant treatment and survival have not been studied. We hereby report the first study on the impact of an ERAS pathway on return to intended oncologic treatment (RIOT) and overall survival (OS) in HNC.

200 patients undergoing head and neck oncologic surgery on an ERAS pathway between March 1, 2016 and March 31, 2019 were matched to controls over the same interval. Demographic, tumor and adjuvant therapy-related data were collected, including time to adjuvant therapy(TAT) and treatment package time(TPT). Risk factors for TAT > 42 days and TPT ≥ 85 days were assessed. OS was compared and risk factors for inferior OS determined.

Baseline characteristics including co-morbidities and tumor stage were similar. Of 179 patients planned for adjuvant treatment, there was no difference in RIOT rate (89.0% vs 87.5%, p = 0.753), proportion of TAT > 42 days of surgery (55.6% vs 59.7%, p = 0.642), or TPT ≥ 85 days (48.1% vs 57.1, p = 0.258), for the ERAS and control groups, respectively. On multivariate analysis, alcohol use (OR 3.58; 95 %CI 1.11-11.52) and recurrent disease status (OR 2.88; 95 %CI 1.40-5.93) were independently associated with prolonged TAT. Three-year OS was similar between the ERAS and control groups (73% vs 76%, p = 0.521).

ERAS has not shown to improve RIOT or OS in the current study. However, its benefit for perioperative outcomes is undeniable and further studies are required on longer term quality and survival outcomes.