A gentler path after surgery for HPV throat cancer?

Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.

Inclusion Criteria: * Histologically proven squamous cell carcinoma of the oropharynx * Clinical stage T1-2, N0-N3, M0 by American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) 8 criteria * Must have tumors deemed surgically resectable with acceptable morbidity * Estimated life expectancy of at least 12 weeks * Must give informed consent * Must have Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status =\< 3 * Must have detectable circulating HPV DNA levels * Platelets \>= 100,000/ul * Absolute neutrophil count (ANC) \>= 1,500/ul * Hemoglobin \> 8 g/dl (use of transfusion to achieve this is acceptable) * Total bilirubin \< 2 X institutional upper limit of normal (ULN) * Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) (serum glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase \[SGOT\])/alanine aminotransferase (ALT) (serum glutamate pyruvate transaminase \[SGPT\]) \< 3 X institutional ULN * Serum creatinine \< 2 x institutional ULN or creatinine clearance \> 50 ml/min as determined by 24 hour collection or estimated by Cockcroft-Gault formula * Negative pregnancy test, if applicable Exclusion Criteria: * Patients may not have received previous therapy for their head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), including chemotherapy, radiation therapy, or surgery beyond biopsy * Second primary malignancy. Exceptions are: * Patient had a second primary malignancy but has been treated and disease free for at least 3 years * In situ carcinoma (e.g. in situ carcinoma of the cervix) * Non-melanomatous carcinoma of the skin * Patients with metastatic disease beyond the neck will be excluded * Serious concomitant systemic disorders (including active infections) that would compromise the safety of the patient or compromise the patient's ability to complete the study, at the discretion of the investigator * Age \< 18 years * Patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection are not automatically excluded, but must meet the following criteria: CD4 count is \> 499/cu mm and their viral load is \< 50 copies/ml. Use of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) is allowed * Grade 3-4 electrolyte abnormalities (Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events \[CTCAE\], version \[v.\] 5) * Serum calcium (ionized or adjusted for albumin) \< 7 mg/dl (1.75 mmol/L) or \> 12.5 mg/dl (\> 3.1 mmol/L) despite intervention to normalize levels * Magnesium \< 0.9 mg/dl (\< 0.4 mmol/L) or \> 3 mg/dl (\> 1.23 mmol/L) despite intervention to normalize levels * Potassium \< 3.0 mmol/L or \> 6 mmol/L despite intervention to normalize levels * Sodium \< 130 mmol/L or \> 155 mmol/L despite intervention to normalize levels * Women who are pregnant, due to the teratogenic effects of radiation therapy and chemotherapy on the unborn fetus. Women of childbearing age must agree to undergo a pregnancy test prior to therapy and to use adequate contraception (hormonal or barrier method of birth control; abstinence) prior to study entry, for the duration of study participation and for 6 months after. Should a woman become pregnant or suspect she is pregnant while participating in this study, she should inform her treating physician immediately * Tumor deemed unresectable with acceptable morbidity: * Tumors \> 4 cm in size (T3 or higher) * Tumors of the base of tongue \< 4 cm but with deep invasion of tongue musculature placing hypoglossal nerve or both lingual arteries at risk * Significant extension into hypopharynx * Extension into soft palate beyond 1/3 of the width * Clinically extensive extranodal extension (ENE) e.g. radiologic evidence of invasion of carotid artery, gross extension into sternocleidomastoid muscle or deep neck muscles. Lymph nodes larger than 6 cm without clinical ENE will be allowed