Digital PET Scan for the Prediction of Outcomes in Patients With Locally Advanced Oropharyngeal Cancer

Inclusion Criteria: * Patient who will undergo definitive radiation with concurrent chemotherapy with cisplatin 40 mg/m\^2 weekly (preferred) or high dose cisplatin 100 mg/m\^2 for histologically confirmed locally advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the oropharynx * 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 (archival or fresh) * Patients must provide their personal smoking history prior to registration * Patients must fall into one of the following stage (American Joint Committee on Cancer \[AJCC\] 8) and risk groups based on pre-treatment work-up and smoking history: * Low risk classification: * p16 and/or HPV positive, T1-3, N1-2, M0 with =\< 10 pack years smoking history OR * Intermediate risk classification: * p16 and/or 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: * p16 and/or HPV negative, T4, N3, M0 * p16 and/or HPV negative with \> 10 pack year smoking history * Patients with no contraindications to PET imaging or cisplatin * No prior history of radiation therapy * Patient has an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status of 0 or 1 * Patients with rema…