Finding/identifying primaries with neck disease (FIND) clinical trial protocol: a study integrating transoral robotic surgery, histopathological localisation and tailored deintensification of radiotherapy for unknown primary and small oropharyngeal head and neck squamous cell carcinoma

IntroductionCarcinomas of unknown primary site (CUP) of the head and neck have historically been worked up and managed heterogeneously. Failure to identify a primary site may result in large radiotherapy mucosal volumes. Transoral approaches such as Transoral Robotic Surgery (TORS) may improve the yield of identifying hidden primaries. We aim to assess the oncological and functional outcomes of a combined treatment approach with TORS and tailored radiotherapy.Methods and analysisTwenty-five patients with metastatic squamous cell carcinoma to the neck without clinical or radiographic evidence of a primary site will be enrolled in a phase II trial. Patients will undergo a diagnostic or therapeutic approach with TORS based on specific algorithms incorporating tailored radiotherapy according to the location and laterality of the primary tumour. The primary outcome is to evaluate the out-of-field failure rate over a 2-year period. Secondary outcomes include identification rates, survival outcomes, patient reported outcomes and functional swallowing outcomes.Ethics and disseminationThe University Health Network Research Ethics Board approved this study (ID 15–9767). The results will be published in an open access journal.Trial registration numberNCT03281499.