Abstract
Background and objectivesHuman papillomavirus (HPV)-driven oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC) is increasing globally. In Taiwan, HPV-positive OPSCC is obscured by tobacco, alcohol, and betel quid use. We investigated the role of high-risk HPV (hrHPV) in a large retrospective Taiwan OPSCC cohort.Methods and resultsThe cohort of 541 OPSCCs treated at Chang Gung Memorial Hospital from 1998–2016 consisted of 507 men (94%) and 34 women (6%). Most used tobacco (81%), alcohol (51%), and betel quid (65%). Formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue was used for p16 staining (a surrogate marker for HPV) and testing for HPV DNA presence and type by Multiplex HPV PCR-MassArray. HPV DNA and/or p16 staining (HPV-positive) was found in 28.4% (150/528) tumors. p16 and HPV DNA were strongly correlated (F < 0.0001). HPV16 was present in 82.8%, and HPV58 in 7.5% of HPV-positive tumors. HPV was associated with higher age (55.5 vs. 52.7 years, p = 0.004), lower T-stage (p = 0.008) better overall survival (OS) (hazard ratio [HR] 0.58 [95% CI 0.42–0.81], p = 0.001), and disease-free survival (DFS) (HR 0.54 [95% CI 0.40–0.73], p < 0.0001). Alcohol was strongly associated with recurrence and death (OS: HR 2.06 [95% CI 1.54–2.74], p < 0.0001; DFS: HR 1.72 [95% CI 1.33–2.24], p < 0.0001). OS and DFS in HPV-positive cases decreased for alcohol users (p < 0.0001). Obscured by the strong alcohol effect, predictive associations were not found for tobacco or betel quid.ConclusionsAs with HPV-positive OPSCC globally, HPV is an increasingly important etiological factor in Taiwanese OPSCC. HPV-positive OPSCC has considerable survival benefit, but this is reduced by alcohol, tobacco, and betel quid use. hrHPV is a cancer risk factor in males and females. Vaccinating both sexes with a multivalent vaccine including HPV58, combined with alcohol and tobacco cessation policies will be effective cancer-prevention public health strategies in Taiwan.
Highlights
The occurrence of oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC) is rapidly increasing in North America and Western Europe, accounting for approximately 100,000 new cases worldwide each year [1,2,3]
Human papillomavirus (HPV) was associated with higher age (55.5 vs. 52.7 years, p = 0.004), lower tumor stage (T-stage) (p = 0.008) better overall survival (OS), and disease-free survival (DFS) (HR 0.54 [95% CI 0.40–0.73], p < 0.0001)
HPV-positive OPSCC has considerable survival benefit, but this is reduced by alcohol, tobacco, and betel quid use. high-risk HPV (hrHPV) is a cancer risk factor in males and females
Summary
The occurrence of oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC) is rapidly increasing in North America and Western Europe, accounting for approximately 100,000 new cases worldwide each year [1,2,3]. High-risk human papillomavirus (hrHPV), HPV genotypes 16, 18, 31, 33, 35, 39, 45, 51, 52, 56, 58, 59, 66, 68, and 73, has become the leading etiologic factor of OPSCC [2,20,21,22,23,24,25,26,27,28]. Countries in Western Europe have observed similar trends [7,13,36,37,39,40,41] These changes have been accompanied by an increment in the survival rates for OPSCC [36,42,43]. Human papillomavirus (HPV)-driven oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC) is increasing globally. We investigated the role of high-risk HPV (hrHPV) in a large retrospective Taiwan OPSCC cohort
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