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

ABSTRACT: The incidence of human papillomavirus-positive (HPV+) oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC) is rising rapidly and has exceeded cervical cancer to become the most common HPV-induced cancer in developed countries. Since patients with HPV + OPSCC respond very favorably to standard aggressive treatment, the emphasis has changed to reducing treatment intensity. However, recent multi-center clinical trials failed to show non-inferiority of de-escalation strategies on a population basis, highlighting the need to select low-risk patients likely to respond to de-intensified treatments. In contrast, there is a substantial proportion of patients who develop recurrent disease despite aggressive therapy. This supports that HPV + OPSCC is not a homogeneous disease, but comprises distinct subtype

SUBMITTER: Lim YX 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10541327 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature