UNLABELLEDOBJECTIVE To examine survival differences in prognosis and survival between patients with HPV-positive and those with HPV-negative oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC).

METHODSPubmed, Embase, Web of science and Medline databases were searched from their inception till June 2014. A random-effect meta-analysis was used to pool study estimates evaluating overall (all-cause mortality), disease-specific (death from OPSCC), disease-free (recurrence free), progression-free survival outcomes and local regional control rate in HPV-positive vs HPV-negative OPSCC. After study selection, two reviewers assessed and extracted data independently. Meta-analysis was performed using the STATA 11.0 software.

RESULTSThirty-seven studies were included. HPV-positive OPSCC patients had a better overall survival compared to HPV-negative patients (HR 0.39, 95% CI 0.32-0.46). HPV-positive OPSCC patients had a significantly lower disease specific mortality (HR 0.31, 95% CI 0.22-0.39) and were less likely to experience progression or recurrence of their cancers than HPV-negative patients (HR 0.34, 95% CI 0.25-0.42). Both disease-free survival and progression-free survival were significantly improved in patients with HPV-positive OPSCC ( HR 0.38, 95% CI 0.29-0.47 and HR 0.46, 95% CI 0.29-0.63, respectively).

CONCLUSIONSHPV infection is an important prognostic factor of OPSCC. Stratified therapies can be applied in OPSCC based on HPV status of tumours.