Abstract
Background and objectives: Knowledge of the interactions and influences of infectious, genetic, and environmental factors on the evolution and treatment response of malignant tumors is essential for improving the management of the disease and increasing patient survival. The objective of this study was to establish the contribution of human papillomavirus (HPV), as well as p53 and p16 tumor markers, alongside associated factors (smoking and alcohol consumption), in the progression of malignancies located in the oropharynx and at the retromolar trigone–oropharyngeal junction. Materials and Methods: We performed a prospective study including 50 patients with malignant tumors of the oropharynx and retromolar trigone–oropharyngeal junction. In all patients, the presence and type of HPV were determined, as well as the status of the tumor markers p53 and p16. The associated risk factors, biopsy results, treatment method, and post-treatment evolution were all documented. Statistical analyses were performed to evaluate the correlations between the determining factors and their influence on the post-treatment evolution. An overall increased survival rate was found in HPV(+) patients. Results: Our study outlined the prevalence of different high-risk subtypes of HPV from the ones presented by other studies, suggesting a possible geographic variation. Correlations between the p53 and p16 statuses and patient survival could be established. The association of smoking and alcohol consumption strongly correlated with an unfavorable evolution. Conclusions: Awareness of the differences in the post-treatment evolution of the patients in relation to the presence of the factors determined in our study could change the future management of such cases for ensuring improved treatment outcomes.
Highlights
The field literature presents molecular evidence that indicates a correlation between high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) and the pathogenesis of cancer located in the oropharynx and in the retromolar trigone–oropharyngeal junction region
The results indicated a particular situation that is different from the one presented in the field literature, which can be explained by the specificity of the geographical and territorial area, which had an important impact on the current statistics
The utility of these results will be found in subsequent studies that will evaluate the usefulness of making a vaccine corresponding to the genotype that is specific to the geographical area, as well as establishing the specific therapy for neoplasms with this location
Summary
The field literature presents molecular evidence that indicates a correlation between high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) and the pathogenesis of cancer located in the oropharynx and in the retromolar trigone–oropharyngeal junction region. The expression of HPV with E6/E7 oncogenes is the Medicina 2020, 56, 542; doi:10.3390/medicina56100542 www.mdpi.com/journal/medicina. Medicina 2020, 56, 542 current standard criterion for determining the causal role of HPV oncogenes in human tumors. The relationship between HPV, p53, and p16 expression in oropharyngeal cancer is known and presented with variable clinical–pathological aspects. The objective of this study was to establish the contribution of human papillomavirus (HPV), as well as p53 and p16 tumor markers, alongside associated factors (smoking and alcohol consumption), in the progression of malignancies located in the oropharynx and at the retromolar trigone–oropharyngeal junction
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