Is HPV-Associated Oropharyngeal Cancer Becoming More Common in Older Patients?

Objective: To evaluate changing age demographics over a 15-year period for patients with HPV-associated oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC).

Study Design: Retrospective review of patients identified with p16-positive OPSCC at our institution over a 15-year timeframe. : p16-positive immunohistochemistry was used as a surrogate for HPV-associated OPSCC. Patients were categorized according to year of diagnosis (2002-2010 versus 2011-2016). Mean age and proportion of patients over age 65 were statistically evaluated and compared.

Results: From 2002 to 2010, 100 patients were identified with p16-positive OPSCC, mean age at diagnosis was 55.2, and the proportion of patients over 65 was 10.0%. From 2011 to 2016, 188 patients were identified with p16-positive OPSCC, mean age was 58.5, and the proportion of patients over 65 was 19.6%. Both the mean age difference and the difference in proportion of patients over 65 were statistically significant ( = .001 and  = .034, respectively).

Conclusion: The mean age at diagnosis and proportion of patients over 65 has increased over the past 15 years at our institution. This data suggests that HPV-associated OPSCC is being diagnosed more frequently in older persons and that the age demographic may be shifting. Confirmation of this trend with larger patient numbers on a national level will be valuable. This study highlights the importance of maintaining a high clinical suspicion for HPV-associated OPSCC regardless of patient age.

Level Of Evidence: 4.