PLoS ONE (Jan 2019)

Human papillomavirus infection among head and neck squamous cell carcinomas in southern China.

  • Guoying Ni,
  • Kunsong Huang,
  • Yi Luan,
  • Zaizai Cao,
  • Shu Chen,
  • Bowei Ma,
  • Jianwei Yuan,
  • Xiaolian Wu,
  • Guoqiang Chen,
  • Tianfang Wang,
  • Hejie Li,
  • Shelley Walton,
  • Fang Liu,
  • Bobei Chen,
  • Yuejian Wang,
  • Xuan Pan,
  • Xiaosong Liu,
  • Ian H Frazer

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0221045
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 14, no. 9
p. e0221045

Abstract

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Human papillomavirus (HPV) related tumours account for a significant proportion of head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCCs) in developed countries. They respond better to chemo- and radio-therapy, and have a better stage specific prognosis. To establish their prevalence in China, we assessed a series of histology confirmed HNSCCs collected in Zhejiang and Guangdong provinces by PCR for HPV DNA and by immunohistochemistry for p16 protein status. Among 303 HNSCCs, HPV DNA was detected in 26.4%, with HPV16 DNA in 71% of these. Of HNSCC located in the oropharynx, 38.55% (32/83) were HPV+ve. In this series, p16 status was a relatively poor predictor of HPV status as detected by PCR. The stage specific survival time of HPV+ HNSCCs was significantly longer than for HPV- HNSCC. HPV status should be assessed for oropharyngeal cancers in China to assist with appropriate management, and prophylaxis against HPV infection should be considered to reduce the incidence of this disease.