NCCN guidelines indicate 3 modes of treatment for T2 oropharyngeal. 1. Radiation 2. Resection of primary with ipsilateral or bilateral neck dissection 3. Radiation with systemic treatment (chemo/targeted therapy), It's just a guideline, and not set in stone, and other matters are taken into account, and if adverse effects still show they move on to the next step. Your next step after radiation, if it fails, is really salvage surgery, not chemo, which doesn't kill this cancer, and would only be palliative. Chemo could be used with radiation after surgery.

Good luck.