Head and neck anatomy is highly complex, and surgical resection of upper aerodigestive tract (UADT) tumors must ensure oncologic safety while preserving essential functions such as swallowing, speech, and airway protection. Traditional open surgery permits wide tumor excision but is frequently associated with substantial cosmetic and functional morbidity. As a result, minimally invasive approaches -particularly endoscopic and robotic techniques- have gained increasing attention. The da Vinci surgical system offers articulated wristed instruments, enhanced dexterity, motion scaling, tremor filtration, and a high-definition three-dimensional endoscopic view, enabling highly precise intraoral tumor resection. Since U.S. FDA approval of Trans-Oral Robotic Surgery (TORS) in 2009, growing evidence has demonstrated its value in organ preservation, accurate pathologic staging, optimization of adjuvant therapy, and improved functional outcomes. At Taichung Veterans General Hospital, our team has performed nearly 300 TORS procedures for both benign and malignant UADT diseases, achieving promising results. This article reviews recent advancements in the application of TORS for oropharyngeal cancer, hypopharyngeal cancer, and glottic cancer involving the anterior commissure. As new robotic platforms continue to emerge worldwide, otolaryngologists should remain attentive to these technological developments and consider how robotic systems may provide cost-effective, precise, and minimally invasive surgical options capable of redefining the treatment paradigm for UADT tumors.
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