The Presence of HPV DNA in Neck Lymph Node Metastasis Correlates with Improved Overall Survival of Patients with Oropharyngeal Cancer Undergoing Surgical Treatment

作者：Shimura Eiji; Hama Takanori^*; Suda Toshihito; Ikegami Masahiro; Urashima Mitsuyoshi; Kojima Hiromi

来源：Oncology, 2017, 92(2): 87-93.

DOI：10.1159/000452420

• Head and neck cancer
• Human papilloma virus
• Oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma
• Neck lymph node metastasis

Background: Few studies have addressed how human papilloma virus (HPV) infection in oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC) affects the outcome of surgical therapy; furthermore, the relationship between the presence of HPV DNA and neck lymph node (LN) metastasis has not been well established. Methods: A total of 65 patients who underwent surgery as a first-line therapy for OPSCC were enrolled in this study. In HPV-positive patients, the presence of HPV DNA in metastatic neck LN lesions was evaluated. Results: The HPV-positive patients had significantly better overall survival than the HPV-negative patients (log-rank test, p = 0.04), whereas HPV infection status did not significantly affect disease-free survival (log-rank test, p = 0.65). In all of the HPV-positive OPSCC patients who developed cervical LN metastasis, the same HPV DNA type was found in both the primary tumour and the metastases. Conclusions: The present results suggest that HPV infection is a determining factor for good prognosis in patients undergoing first-line surgical therapy for OPSCC.

• 出版日期2017