Clinical characteristics of Japanese oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma positive for human papillomavirus infection.
CONCLUSIONS
Human papillomavirus (HPV)-related oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC) is considered to be a distinct entity in Japan. The combination of both HPV-DNA sequencing analysis and immunohistochemistry (IHC) for p16(INK4A) is useful to discriminate the OPSCC patients with a better prognosis from other cases, especially in the advanced stage. Surgical treatment is recommended for HPV-negative advanced cancer.


OBJECTIVE
The number of HPV-related OPSCCs has been increasing worldwide. However, the incidence and prognostic significance of this cancer in Japan have not yet been fully elucidated.


METHODS
Seventy-seven Japanese patients with OPSCC were enrolled in this study. The prevalence of HPV-DNA was assessed by PCR and sequencing. The expression of p16(INK4A) and p53 was examined by IHC. The clinicopathological parameters and disease-specific survival were analyzed for HPV-positive and -negative patients.


RESULTS
HPV-DNA was detected in 32 patients. Thirty-four patients were p16(INK4A)-positive by IHC. The patients who were positive for HPV infection were significantly younger. Furthermore, in the stage III or IV cases, the 3-year disease-specific survival of the HPV infection-positive group was significantly better than that of the HPV-negative group. Surgical treatment was demonstrated to lead to a good prognosis for the patients with HPV-negative advanced cancer.
Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Tokyo Medical and Dental University , Tokyo , Japan.
Fuminori
F
Nomura
Taro
T
Sugimoto
Keisuke
K
Kitagaki
Takashi
T
Ito
Hiroshi
H
Kawachi
Yoshinobu
Y
Eishi
Ken
K
Watanabe
Miki
M
Igaue
Norio
N
Shimizu
Makoto
M
Tomita
Ken
K
Kitamura
Seiji
S
Kishimoto
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D015994:Incidence; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009959:Oropharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D027383:Papillomaviridae / Q000235:genetics*; D030361:Papillomavirus Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate / Q000639:trends
D004279:DNA, Viral
chemoradiotherapy; p16INK4A; p53