title: North-American survey on HPV-DNA and p16 testing for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Human papillomavirus (HPV)-positive head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCC) have been shown to have a significantly better prognosis and response to current treatment modalities. Current guidelines recommend systematic HPV-DNA and/or p16 testing on HNSCCs, although treatment approach should not be directed by test results. The objectives of this study were to (1) assess whether HPV-DNA and/or p16 status are systematically evaluated across North American otolaryngologists-head and neck surgeons and (2) whether the status is used to direct treatment approach.
  
  
  METHODS
  A 15-question online survey was sent to three associations: the Association of Oto-rhino-laryngology-Head and Neck Surgery of Quebec, the Canadian Society of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, and the American Head and Neck Society.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Sixty-seven percent of respondents systematically test for HPV-DNA and/or p16 on HNSCC sites, while 58.3% report using test results to direct treatment for oropharyngeal cancers. A lack of official guidelines was the primary reason (81.8%) physicians did not use test results to direct treatment. Academic centre physicians (83.3%) and physicians with ⩾50% oncologic practice (87.6%) were more likely to test for HPV-DNA and/or p16 in HNSCC compared to non-academic centre physicians (39.7%) and physicians with <50% oncologic practices (51.4%) (p<0.001). Cost of the tests (69.2%), lack of relevance (46.1%) and time constraints (30.8%) were the primary reasons HPV-DNA and/or p16 were not tested.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The majority of North American respondents in this survey systematically test for HPV-DNA and/or p16 in HNSCC sites, and most indicate that test results influence their treatment approach for oropharyngeal cancers.
authors.affiliation: Centre de Recherche du Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CRCHUM), Montreal, QC, Canada; Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CHUM), Montreal, QC, Canada.
authors.forename: Anastasios
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Maniakas
authors.affiliation: Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CHUM), Montreal, QC, Canada.
authors.forename: Sami P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Moubayed
authors.affiliation: Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CHUM), Montreal, QC, Canada.
authors.forename: Tareck
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ayad
authors.affiliation: Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CHUM), Montreal, QC, Canada.
authors.forename: Louis
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Guertin
authors.affiliation: Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CHUM), Montreal, QC, Canada.
authors.forename: Phuc Felix
authors.initials: PF
authors.lastname: Nguyen-Tan
authors.affiliation: Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CHUM), Montreal, QC, Canada.
authors.forename: Olga
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Gologan
authors.affiliation: Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CHUM), Montreal, QC, Canada.
authors.forename: Denis
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Soulieres
authors.affiliation: Centre de Recherche du Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CRCHUM), Montreal, QC, Canada; Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CHUM), Montreal, QC, Canada. Electronic address: a.christopoulos@umontreal.ca.
authors.forename: Apostolos
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Christopoulos
mesh_terms: D052685:Alphapapillomavirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D002170:Canada; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000821:virology*; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics*; D003625:Data Collection; D019942:Genes, p16; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000821:virology*; D006801:Humans; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral
keywords: Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma; Human papillomavirus; North America; Oropharyngeal cancer; Survey; p16