Clinicopathological Profile of HPV-related Multiphenotypic Sinonasal Carcinoma: A Systematic Review

This study aimed to perform a systematic review of the clinicopathological, prognostic features, and HPV genotyping patterns of HPV-related multiphenotypic sinonasal carcinoma (HMSC).

This study adhered to the PRISMA 2020 guidelines and was registered in the PROSPERO database. We included case reports, case series studies, and cohort studies of HMSC indexed in the PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, Embase, and LILACS databases published between 2017 and 2025. Collected variables were analyzed descriptively, followed by association analyses using Fisher's and Chi-squared tests, and the Kaplan-Meier method. The quality assessment of the included studies was conducted using the Joanna Briggs Institute tools.

This systematic review identified 32 studies encompassing 101 HMSC cases. The majority occurred in the nasal cavity of patients in the sixth decade of life, without significant sex predilection. Microscopically, the HMSC predominantly displayed basaloid morphology with solid and cribriform growth patterns, high mitotic activity, pleomorphism, and necrosis. Most patients underwent surgical excision and experienced no recurrence or metastasis, indicating favorable outcomes. However, treatment modality, recurrence, and distant metastasis negatively affected survival rates. HMSC cases showed strong p16 expression, variable squamous/epithelial and myoepithelial marker expression, and a high Ki67 index. HPV 33 was the most prevalent type identified.

HMSC is a heterogeneous malignant lesion with excellent overall prognosis. Detection of transcriptionally active HPV through in situ hybridization or reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction is critical for definitive diagnosis of HMSC.