Association of Human Papillomavirus Integration with Better Patient Outcomes in Oropharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Overview

Journal Head Neck

Specialties General Surgery
Oncology

Date 2020 Oct 19

PMID 33073473

Citations 11

Authors

Lisa M Pinatti

Hana N Sinha

Collin V Brummel

Christine M Goudsmit

Timothy J Geddes

George D Wilson

Jan A Akervall

Chad J Brenner

Heather M Walline

Thomas E Carey

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Background: The molecular drivers of human papillomavirus-related head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HPV + HNSCC) are not entirely understood. This study evaluated the relationship between HPV integration, expression of E6/E7, and patient outcomes in p16+ HNSCCs.

Methods: HPV type was determined by HPV PCR-MassArray, and integration was called using detection of integrated papillomavirus sequences polymerase chain reaction (PCR). We investigated whether fusion transcripts were produced by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). E6/E7 expression was assessed by quantitative RT-PCR. We assessed if there was a relationship between integration and E6/E7 expression, clinical variables, or patient outcomes.

Results: Most samples demonstrated HPV integration, which sometimes resulted in a fusion transcript. HPV integration was positively correlated with age at diagnosis and E6/E7 expression. There was a significant difference in survival between patients with vs without integration.

Conclusions: Contrary to previous reports, HPV integration was associated with improved patient survival. Therefore, HPV integration may act as a molecular marker of good prognosis.

Citing Articles

HPV integration in head and neck cancer: downstream splicing events and expression ratios linked with poor outcomes.

Li S, Xia S, Lawas M, Kulshreshtha A, Garb B, Perera A bioRxiv. 2025; .

PMID: 39896613 PMC: 11785119. DOI: 10.1101/2025.01.17.633627.

The role of HR-HPV integration in the progression of premalignant lesions into different cancer types.

Catalan-Castorena O, Garibay-Cerdenares O, Illades-Aguiar B, Rodriguez-Ruiz H, Zubillaga-Guerrero M, Leyva-Vazquez M Heliyon. 2024; 10(15):e34999.

PMID: 39170128 PMC: 11336306. DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e34999.

De-Escalated Therapy and Early Treatment of Recurrences in HPV-Associated Head and Neck Cancer: The Potential for Biomarkers to Revolutionize Personalized Therapy.

Yarbrough W, Schrank T, Burtness B, Issaeva N Viruses. 2024; 16(4).

PMID: 38675879 PMC: 11053602. DOI: 10.3390/v16040536.

Clinical and genomic characterization of chemoradiation-resistant HPV-positive oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma.

Guo T, Zamuner F, Ting S, Chen L, Rooper L, Tamayo P Front Oncol. 2024; 14:1336577.

PMID: 38505587 PMC: 10949886. DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2024.1336577.

Clinical, morphologic and molecular heterogeneity of HPV-associated oropharyngeal cancer.

Lim Y, Mierzwa M, Sartor M, DSilva N Oncogene. 2023; 42(40):2939-2955.

PMID: 37666939 PMC: 10541327. DOI: 10.1038/s41388-023-02819-y.

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