Search

Humanpapillomaviruses (HPVs) are involved in approximately 5%of all human cancer. Although initially recognized for causing nearlyall cases of cervical carcinoma, much data has now emerged implicatingHPVs as a causal factor in other anogenital cancers as well as a subsetof head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCCs), most commonlyoropharyngeal cancers. Numerous clinical trials have demonstratedthat patients with HPV+ oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC)have improved survival compared to patients with HPV– cancers.Furthermore, epidemiological evidence shows the incidence of OPSCChas been steadily rising over time in the United States. It has beenproposed that an increase in HPV-related OPSCCs is the driving forcebehind the increasing rate of OPSCC. Although some studies have revealedan increase in HPV+ head and neck malignancies over time in specificregions of the United States, there has not been a comprehensive studyvalidating this trend across the entire country. Therefore, we undertookthis meta-analysis to assess all literature through August 2013 thatreported on the prevalence of HPV in OPSCC for patient populationswithin the United States. The results show an increase in the prevalenceof HPV+ OPSCC from 20.9% in the pre-1990 time period to 51.4% in 1990–1999and finally to 65.4% for 2000–present. In this manner, ourstudy provides further evidence to support the hypothesis that HPV-associatedOPSCCs are driving the increasing incidence of OPSCC over time inthe United States. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]