Effect of HPV Status on Survival of Oropharynx Cancer with Distant Metastasis

Human papillomavirus (HPV)-positive oropharynx squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC) is known to have improved survival over HPV-negative disease. However, it is largely unknown whether HPV status similarly affects survival in patients presenting with distant metastatic disease. We queried the National Cancer Database for OPSCC with distant metastasis. Kaplan-Meier curves and Cox proportional hazards regression models controlling for relevant demographics were used to evaluate overall survival. In total, 768 OPSCC cases were available for analysis with HPV and survival data: 50% of cases were HPV negative and 50% were HPV positive. The 1- and 2-year survival for HPV-negative disease was 49% and 27%, respectively, as compared with 67% and 42% in the HPV-positive cohort. HPV positivity was associated with improved median survival in treated and untreated patients. Age, comorbidities, and HPV status were predictive of improved survival on multivariate analysis. HPV-positive OPSCC has improved survival in the setting of distant metastatic presentation as compared with HPV-negative disease and shows greater responsiveness to treatment.