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Updated: Feb 25, 2026
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Published on: April 20, 2018
Primary treatment for oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma in Alberta, Canada: A population-based study
Amy J Hobbs1,2, Nigel T Brockton3,2, T Wayne Matthews4,2
1Department of Community Health Sciences, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
Background:
The incidence of human papillomavirus (HPV)-related oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is increasing and has better survival than non-HPV related oropharyngeal SCC. This study compared surgical to nonsurgical treatments and demographic, clinical, and survival differences in patients with oropharyngeal SCC, stratified by p16 status.
Methods:
We assembled a cohort of adult patients with oropharyngeal SCC diagnosed between 2000 and 2008 in Alberta. The tumor p16 biomarker was measured using fluorescent immunohistochemistry.
Results:
In this cohort, p16 data were available for 115 of 357 patients; and 66% (n = 76) were p16-positive. Patients with p16 data had comparable outcomes to those without. Surgically treated p16-negative patients had improved 5-year disease-specific survival (DSS) and overall survival (OS) compared with nonsurgical patients. There were no differences in survival outcomes between surgical and nonsurgical treatment for patients with p16-positive disease.
Conclusion:
Patients with p16-positive oropharyngeal SCC had similar outcomes regardless of treatment. Patients with p16-negative tumors may benefit from primary surgery with postoperative adjuvant therapy.
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