The Prognostic Value of Human Papilloma Virus Infection in Oral Cavity Squamous Cell Carcinoma: A Meta-Analysis.

Abstract

Human papilloma virus (HPV) infection has been confirmed as a favorable prognostic factor in oropharyngeal cancer. However, the prognostic value of HPV in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is still unclear. Therefore, a systematic review and meta-analysis was performed to evaluate the prognostic value of HPV infection in OSCC patients. Systematic literature review with meta-analysis. A systematic literature review was conducted in accordance with PRISMA guidelines in PubMed, EMBASE, and MEDLINE databases. The primary outcomes were overall survival (OS), disease-free survival (DFS), disease-specific survival (DSS), and secondary outcomes were local control (LC), regional control (RC), and distant control (DC). A total of 22 articles with 3065 OSCC patients were included in this study. Meta-analysis demonstrated that compared to HPV-negative OSCC patients, HPV-positive OSCC patients had a significantly shorter OS (hazard ratio [HR]=1.45, 95% confidence intervals [CI], 1.10-1.93) and lower DC (HR=2.16, 95% CI, 1.54-3.04). There was no significant difference in DFS (HR=1.20, 95% CI, 0.63-2.26), DSS (HR=1.20, 95% CI, 0.63-2.26), LC (HR=1.44, 95% CI, 0.97-2.14), and RC (HR=1.50, 95% CI, 0.98-2.30) between HPV-positive and negative OSCC patients. Sensitivity analysis confirmed the above results. Our systematic review and meta-analysis reveal that HPV-positive is associated with significantly decreased OS and DC, suggesting HPV infection is an adverse prognostic factor in OSCC. Laryngoscope, 132:1760-1770, 2022.