Abstract
SummaryBackgroundAfter publishing promising results for the treatment of patients with human papilloma virus (HPV) positive oropharyngeal cancer with radiochemotherapy regarding 2‑year survival, we present an update of the disease-specific and disease-free survival after 5 years.Patients and methodsA total of 29 patients of which 18 were HPV negative and 11 HPV positive with squamous cell carcinoma of the oropharynx received radiation therapy with or without chemotherapy (cisplatin) or immunotherapy (cetuximab) between 2007 and 2009. At time of the present analysis, six patients are still alive including four with HPV positive and two with HPV negative oropharyngeal carcinoma, while 15 out of 16 patients with HPV negative tumors died and 1 died of another cause with evidence of disease.ResultsSince the 2‑year disease-specific survival of patients with HPV positive cancer of the oropharynx was published with 100% versus 30.4% in HPV negative tumors, we now present the 5‑year disease-specific survival after treatment, which was 85.7% in HPV positive versus 11.1% in HPV negative patients.ConclusionWe present the results of patients receiving radiochemo(immuno)therapy for oropharyngeal cancer regarding the HPV status, which is still promising.
Highlights
The development of squamous cell carcinomas of the head and neck (SCCHN) is mainly caused by commonly known risk factors including alcohol and tobacco abuse
We present the results of patients receiving radiochemo(immuno)therapy for oropharyngeal cancer regarding the human papilloma virus (HPV) status, which is still promising
In the last 15 years human papilloma virus (HPV) infections became recognized as a major risk factor for oropharyngeal cancer [1,2,3]
Summary
The development of squamous cell carcinomas of the head and neck (SCCHN) is mainly caused by commonly known risk factors including alcohol and tobacco abuse. The prevalence of SCCHN with over 500,000 new cases per year worldwide is high [4], whereas the incidence of pharyngeal carcinoma is approximately 136,000 and oropharyngeal cancer is on the rise [5]. The incidence of oropharyngeal carcinoma predominantly increased in younger patients and in this patient collective especially in male patients, probably because of the higher prevalence of HPV in cervical than in penile tissue [9, 10], transmitted by orally performed sexual contact [10]. HPV detection in biopsies of head and neck cancer taken during routinely per-
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