Robert Hermans

Papers

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About

Robert Hermans is a leading head and neck surgeon whose research focuses on advancing transoral robotic surgery (TORS) for cancer treatment, particularly in challenging salvage settings. His major contributions center on demonstrating the feasibility and oncologic safety of TORS for both primary and recurrent head and neck cancers, especially in patients who have failed prior radiotherapy. In his most cited work (38 citations), he led a Belgian multicenter retrospective study analyzing 86 TORS procedures, establishing that robotic surgery can achieve favorable functional and oncologic outcomes even in complex salvage cases. Hermans also pioneered the innovative combination of TORS with postoperative photodynamic therapy (24 citations) to address positive resection margins in recurrent base of tongue squamous cell carcinoma—a notoriously difficult clinical scenario with limited adjuvant options. This work represents a novel approach to improving local control in patients with otherwise poor prognoses. His research has helped expand the role of minimally invasive robotic techniques in head and neck oncology, offering new hope for patients with recurrent disease. Through his multicenter collaborations and focus on difficult clinical problems, Hermans has made lasting contributions to the field of head and neck surgical oncology.