PREVALENCE, CHARACTERISTICS AND TREATMENT OUTCOMES OF HPV POSITIVE OROPHARYNGEAL CARCINOMA IN AFRICA: A SYSTEMATIC...

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a sexually transmitted virus implicated in several anogenital and oropharyngeal malignancies. Rising oral sexual practices have been suggested as one factor influencing oral HPV transmission and associated malignancies in some populations. This review aimed to estimate the pooled prevalence, summarize characteristics, and synthesize treatment and outcome data for HPV-positive oropharyngeal carcinoma (OPC) in Africa.

An initial PROSPERO registration was done (CRD420251012776), and the systematic review followed the PRISMA guidelines. The study included original English peer-reviewed research works that reported data on the prevalence, characteristics, and treatment outcomes of HPV-positive oropharyngeal cancers. The risk of bias was assessed for all the studies using Cochrane's ROBIN-E tool. Systematic synthesis and meta-analysis were used to synthesise extracted data.

15 studies involving a total of 896 participants met the inclusion criteria and were included in the meta-analysis. The pooled prevalence of HPV-associated oropharyngeal cancer across the 15 African-based studies was 12% (95% CI: 8%-19%), with significant heterogeneity (I² = 70.2%). The test for subgroup differences was statistically significant (Chi² = 10.94, p = 0.012), indicating that detection methods may influence reported prevalence rates. Treatment and outcome data were sparsely reported; only one study provided detailed follow-up outcomes.

There were limited data of treatment and outcomes underscoring the need for improved reporting standards and longitudinal data across African settings.