Background Surgery with adjuvant radiotherapy is the accepted standard for treatment of advanced oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma (OCSCC); however, alternative evidence suggests that definitive (chemo)radiotherapy may have similar outcomes. Methods Systematic review was performed to assess the therapeutic value of radiotherapy or chemoradiotherapy as a primary modality for treating OCSCC. Meta‐analysis of outcomes was performed between articles comparing radiotherapy and primary surgical treatment. Results Meta‐analysis showed less favorable results of radiotherapy compared to surgery: overall survival at 3‐years (odds ratio [OR] = 0.51; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.34–0.77) and 5‐years (OR = 0.42; 95% CI = 0.29–0.60); disease‐specific survival at 3‐years (OR = 0.55; 95% CI = 0.32–0.96) and 5‐years (OR = 0.55; 95% CI = 0.32–0.96). Odds of feeding tube dependency were higher in primary radiotherapy group (OR = 2.67; 95% CI = 1.27–5.64). Conclusions Results of this study support the current perspective favoring primary surgical treatment for OCSCC in the absence of surgical contraindications.

Objective: To evaluate the feasibility and outcomes of porcine submucosal allograft (Biodesign Sinonasal Repair Graft [Cook Medical, Bloomington, IN]) in oral cavity and oropharynx reconstruction after ablative surgery. Methods:We conducted a prospective and retrospective review of patients who underwent Biodesign Sinonasal Repair Graft reconstruction for oral and oropharyngeal surgical defects at a single institution between 2018 and 2020. A total of 11 patients were included in the study. Data points included their perioperative medical and demographic data, immediate postoperative course, and follow-up visits at 10 days and at 2 months. The clinicopathologic characteristics of their disease, postoperative esthetic, and functional outcomes were recorded and analyzed.Results: Eleven procedures have been performed, and all patients received Biodesign reconstruction either immediately after ablation or after they failed a previous reconstruction. None of the patients had bone exposure. The subsites included oral tongue (n = 6), floor of the mouth (n = 3), buccal mucosa (n = 1), and soft palate (n = 1). In all cases, the operations and the postoperative course were uneventful. The mean defect size was 22 cm 2 . The median start of oral intake was at 2 days postoperatively. The Biodesign graft healed well in all patients with no total graft loss. There was one complication that required revision surgery due to obstruction of Wharton's duct by the Biodesign material.Conclusions: Biodesign can be a viable option for small and medium-sized oral and oropharyngeal defects in patients who are medically unfit or do not want to undergo a free flap surgery.