title: Rising prevalence of human papillomavirus-related oropharyngeal cancer in Australia over the last 2 decades.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This study provides Australian data on the characteristics of human papillomavirus (HPV)-related oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) over the last 2 decades.
  
  
  METHODS
  The HPV status of 515 patients with oropharyngeal SCC diagnosed between 1987 and 2010 was determined by HPV E6-targeted multiplex real time polymerase chain reaction assay (PCR) and p16 immunohistochemistry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The HPV positivity rate increased from 20.2% (1987-1995) to 63.5% (2006-2010). Among HPV-positive oropharyngeal SCC over the study period, the median age increased from 55.4 years to 59.8 years (p = .004) and there was a trend of an increasing proportion of never smokers (19.2% to 34.0%). The use of radiation therapy (RT) in patients with HPV-positive oropharyngeal cancer increased from 26.9% to 68.1% (p = .007) and we also observed a trend of improved outcomes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our data show a rising prevalence of HPV-positive oropharyngeal SCC in Australia over the last 2 decades. These patients with HPV-positive oropharyngeal SCC are now presenting at an older age and about one third have never smoked.
authors.affiliation: Central Clinical School, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.|Department of Radiation Oncology, Lifehouse, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.affiliation: Central Clinical School, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.|Tissue Pathology and Diagnostic Oncology, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: C Soon
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Deanna
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.affiliation: NHMRC Clinical Trials Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Anne-Sophie
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Veillard
authors.affiliation: Central Clinical School, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.|Department of Radiation Oncology, Lifehouse, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Mei
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Central Clinical School, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Xiaoying
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Prince of Wales Hospital, Randwick, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Smee
authors.affiliation: Division of Radiation Oncology and Cancer Imaging, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, East Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: June
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Corry
authors.affiliation: Cancer Services, Princess Alexandra Hospital, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
authors.forename: Sandro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Porceddu
authors.affiliation: Central Clinical School, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.|Department of Radiation Oncology, Lifehouse, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Christopher
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Milross
authors.affiliation: Sydney Head and Neck Cancer Institute, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Elliott
authors.affiliation: Central Clinical School, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.|Sydney Head and Neck Cancer Institute, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Jonathan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Clark
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Rose
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001315:Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D004279:DNA, Viral; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D060885:Multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction; D009856:Oncogene Proteins, Viral / Q000235:genetics; D009959:Oropharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D027383:Papillomaviridae / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D030361:Papillomavirus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D015995:Prevalence
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral; C466080:E6 protein, human papillomavirus type 1; D009856:Oncogene Proteins, Viral
keywords: head and neck cancer; human papillomavirus (HPV); oropharyngeal cancer