mom and son hugging
mom and son hugging
Cancer Treatments

Trans-Oral Robotic Surgery (TORS)

Mays Cancer Center, home to UT Health San Antonio MD Anderson Cancer Center, offers minimally invasive treatments like Transoral Robotic Surgery (TORS). Such options lessen the impact of surgery, so you can more quickly get back to enjoying your everyday activities.

What to expect with TORS

Here is what happens during and after your TORS procedure: 

  • You will be under general anesthesia, so you will be completely asleep the entire time.
  • Your surgeon will sit at a robotic surgery computer console inside the operating room.
  • They will guide tiny, specialized instruments that are part of the robot to the tumor site through your mouth. 
  • The robotic instruments have a 3D camera that provides magnified images of the surgery site in real time, giving your surgeon a wider field of vision.
  • Your procedure may also include an incision in the neck to remove any nearby cancerous lymph nodes.
  • After surgery, you may temporarily experience some throat pain or swallowing issues, which generally resolve on their own. Speech and swallow therapy can help with specialized treatments.  
Dr. Ferrell with a patient

How the TORS robotic surgery helps remove tumors from the throat?

Robotic surgery is more and more often the right choice for many cancer treatments because of its safety and more successful outcomes.

Frequently asked questions

Q: Why should I choose TORS over traditional surgery?

A: TORS provides better range of motion for your doctor and a higher level of surgical precision. It is much less invasive than traditional surgical methods, requiring no incision instead of a sizeable one. It also has less risk of complications and provides a quicker recovery and return to your usual speech and swallowing. 

Q: How long does the procedure take?

A: The TORS procedure usually lasts 90 minutes to 2 hours, but additional neck surgery can take up to 5 hours.

Q: Is TORS a new procedure?

A: The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved TORS in 2009. The procedure has been used increasingly often since then. 

Q: What is the TORS success rate?

A: According to one large study, the three-year survival rate for early stage TORS patients is 93-96%.