A comparison between p16-positive head and neck cancer of unknown primary (HPV-HNCUP) and oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (HPV-OPSCC): are they the same disease?

Balk M, Rupp R, Sievert M, Mantsopoulos K, Allner M, Grundtner P, Müller-Hübner S, Eckstein M, Iro H, Hecht M, Gostian AO (2023)

Publication Type: Journal article

Publication year: 2023

Journal

European Archives of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology Springer

DOI: 10.1007/s00405-023-08115-5

Abstract

Introduction: The following study aimed to answer the question if HPV-HNCUP and HPV-OPSCC are the same disease. Propensity score matching (PSM) was used to compare the oncological outcomes of both groups, in particular the 5-year overall survival rate (OS), the 5-year disease specific survival rate (DSS) and the 5-year progression free survival rate (PFS). Materials and methods: Firstly, between January 1st, 2007, and March 31st, 2020 a total of 131 patients were treated with HNCUP at our Department. Out of these, 21 patients with a confirmed positive p16 status were referred to surgery followed by adjuvant therapy. Secondly, between January 1st, 2000, and January 31st, 2017, a total of 1596 patients were treated with an OPSSC at our Department. Out of these, 126 patients with a confirmed positive p16 status were referred to surgery followed by adjuvant therapy. After PSM, 84 patients with HPV-OPSCC and 21 HPV-HNCUP remained in the study for further comparison. Results: The OS was 63.5% (95% CI 39.4–87.6) for HPV-HNCUP and 88.9% (95% CI 90.4–100.0) for HPV-OPSCC patients and therefore, significantly lower for the first mentioned (p = 0.013). The DSS was also significantly impaired for HPV-HNCUP (71.0%, 95% CI 46.3–95.7), in comparison with HPV-OPSCC patients (95.5%, 95% CI 90.4–100.0; p = 0.002). The PFS for HPV-HNCUP patients was lower (75.6%, 95% CI 54.0–97.2) yet not significantly different to HPV-OPSCC (90.4%, 95% CI 83.5–97.3; p = 0.067). Conclusions: The results presented demonstrate a significant reduced OS and DSS for HPV-HNCUP patients. Accordingly, in our study HPV-HNCUP and HPV-OPSCC are two different entities with a different oncological outcome.

Authors with CRIS profile

Matthias Balk Department of Otorhinolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery Robin Rupp Department of Otorhinolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery Matti Sievert Department of Otorhinolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery Konstantinos Mantsopoulos Department of Otorhinolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery Moritz Allner Department of Otorhinolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery Sarina Müller-Hübner Department of Otorhinolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery Markus Eckstein Institute of Pathology Heinrich Iro Lehrstuhl für Hals-, Nasen- und Ohrenheilkunde Markus Hecht Department of Radiation Oncology Antoniu-Oreste Gostian Department of Otorhinolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery

How to cite

APA:

Balk, M., Rupp, R., Sievert, M., Mantsopoulos, K., Allner, M., Grundtner, P.,... Gostian, A.-O. (2023). A comparison between p16-positive head and neck cancer of unknown primary (HPV-HNCUP) and oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (HPV-OPSCC): are they the same disease? European Archives of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-023-08115-5

MLA:

Balk, Matthias, et al. "A comparison between p16-positive head and neck cancer of unknown primary (HPV-HNCUP) and oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (HPV-OPSCC): are they the same disease?" European Archives of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology (2023).

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