Interim Digital PET/CT in Predicting Outcomes for Participants With Locally Advanced Oropharyngeal Cancer Undergoing Chemoradiation Therapy

Inclusion Criteria: * Patient who will undergo definitive radiation with concurrent chemotherapy with weekly (preferred) or high dose cisplatin for histologically confirmed locally advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the oropharyngeal carcinoma * Patient must have clinically or radiographically evident measurable disease at the primary site and at nodal station(s). Tonsillectomy or local excision of the primary or nodal disease is not permitted * P16 and/or human papillomavirus (HPV) status obtained on biopsy specimen * Low risk classification: * HPV positive, T1-3, N1-2b, M0 with =\< 10 pack years smoking history * Note: Twenty cigarettes is considered equivalent to one pack. * Number of pack years = (number \[No.\] of cigarettes per day x number of years of smoking)/20 OR * Intermediate risk classification: * HPV positive, T4, N3, M0 and/or HPV positive with \> 10 pack year smoking history * HPV negative, T1-3, N1-2b, M0, with =\< 10 pack years smoking history OR * High risk classification: HPV negative, T4, N3, M0 and/or HPV negative with \> 10 pack year smoking history * Patients with no contraindications to PET imaging or cisplatin as stated in the section Exclusion Criteria * No prior history of radiation therapy * Patient has an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status of 0 or 1 * Patients with remaining teeth will have undergo a dental evaluation prior to enrollment * Ability to provide informed consent obtained prior to partic…