title: From HPV-positive towards HPV-driven oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinomas.
abstract: The incidence of HPV-positive oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC), which is both biologically and clinically distinct from tobacco- and alcohol-related OPSCC, is dramatically increasing. The finding that individuals with HPV-positive local/regionally advanced OPSCC have a significantly better prognosis than their negative counterparts have led to efforts to de-escalate treatment in those patients to avoid serious side effects and to improve their long-term quality of life, while maintaining treatment efficacy. Identifying diagnostic tests that are able to distinguish cancers etiologically associated with HPV is thus becoming a pressing challenge for researchers. The purpose of this review is to provide an overview of the diagnostic tools presently available to evaluate HPV status in patients with OPSCC and, in particular, to discuss their strengths and weaknesses in identifying those infections that are the real driving force in the oropharyngeal carcinogenesis process.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosciences, Regional Center for Head and Neck Cancer, University of Padua, Treviso, Italy. Electronic address: paolo.boscolorizzo@unipd.it.
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Boscolo-Rizzo
authors.affiliation: Division of Molecular Diagnostics of Oncogenic Infections, Research Program Infection and Cancer, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), F020, Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pawlita
authors.affiliation: Division of Molecular Diagnostics of Oncogenic Infections, Research Program Infection and Cancer, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), F020, Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Dana
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Holzinger
mesh_terms: D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000009:adverse effects; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood; D015415:Biomarkers; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000209:etiology / Q000235:genetics / Q000628:therapy / Q000821:virology*; D002472:Cell Transformation, Viral; D019938:Cyclin D1; D019941:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p16 / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm / Q000235:genetics; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D009856:Oncogene Proteins, Viral / Q000096:biosynthesis; D009857:Oncogenes; D009959:Oropharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology / Q000235:genetics / Q000628:therapy / Q000821:virology*; D027383:Papillomaviridae / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D050725:Papillomavirus E7 Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D030361:Papillomavirus Infections / Q000175:diagnosis*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012097:Repressor Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D016160:Retinoblastoma Protein / Q000096:biosynthesis; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000096:biosynthesis
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D015415:Biomarkers; C530104:CCND1 protein, human; D019941:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p16; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm; D004279:DNA, Viral; C068651:E6 protein, Human papillomavirus type 16; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D009856:Oncogene Proteins, Viral; D050725:Papillomavirus E7 Proteins; D012097:Repressor Proteins; D016160:Retinoblastoma Protein; C495901:TP53 protein, human; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53; D019938:Cyclin D1
keywords: E6 mRNA; HPV DNA; Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma; Human papillomavirus; In situ hybridization; Oropharyngeal carcinoma; Serology; p16(INK4a) immunohistochemistry