The impact of HPV genotypes on survival in HPV-positive oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinomas: a systematic review

BACKGROUND: Patients with HPV-positive (HPV+) oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinomas (OPSCCs) are known to have a better prognosis compared to patients with HPV-negative OPSCCs.

AIMS/OBJECTIVES: To investigate the impact of specific HPV genotypes on survival in HPV + OPSCC.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: A systematic search of PubMed and Embase for studies addressing the association between specific HPV genotypes and survival among patients with OPSCC was performed.

RESULTS: Six studies (n = 1385 patients) published between 2013 and 2017 were included. Five studies (n = 1290 patients) found a better survival among HPV16 cases compared to other high-risk (HR) HPV genotypes (HPV 33, 18, 35, 31, 39, 52, 59, 45, 56, 67, 29, and 58), of which three studies (n = 933 patients) reached significant results. Two of these studies reported a five-year overall survival (OS) of 64.6% and 71.4% in HPV16 OPSCCs vs. 45.6% and 57.1% in HR non-HPV16 OPSCCs (p = .001 and p = .010, respectively), and the last study found a better OS among HPV16 cases with a hazard ratio (HR) of 0.35, 95%. CI [0.14;0.85], p = .02.

CONCLUSIONS: Our findings indicate a favorable prognosis among patients with HPV16 OPSCC compared with HR non-HPV16 OPSCC. These results may be important when designing future trials and in the planning of follow-up regimes.