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Primary Chemotherapy and Radiation as a Treatment Strategy for HPV-Positive Oropharyngeal Cancer

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Abstract

The incidence of human papillomavirus-positive oropharyngeal cancer (HPV/OPSCC) is rapidly increasing, which will represent a major public health burden for decades to come. Although HPV/OPSCC is generally associated with a better prognosis than HPV-negative OPSCC, the survival rate of individuals with higher-risk clinical and pathologic features remains unchanged. Emerging evidence suggests that HPV/OPSCC is pathologically and molecularly distinct from HPV-negative OPSCC. This review focuses on summarizing treatment strategies for HPV/OPSCC by reviewing the peer-reviewed literature and noting ongoing and planned clinical trials in this disease. We also discuss the potential of designing targeted therapy based on the recent genomic findings of HPV/OPSCC.

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Acknowledgments

We thank the Patricia L. Knebel Fund of the Pittsburgh Foundation, USA (to VWYL) and the Career Development Program of the Specialized Program of Research Excellence (SPORE) in Head and Neck Cancer (5P50 CA097190-05 to VWYL), the Head and Neck Cancer SPORE and Developmental Research Award (2P50CA097190, 2P50CA097190-S, and 5P50 CA097007 to JRG and VWYL) and the American Cancer Society Clinical Research Professorship (CRP-08-229-01 to JRG).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Otolaryngology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA

    Vivian Wai Yan Lui & Jennifer Rubin Grandis

  2. Department of Pharmacology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA

    Jennifer Rubin Grandis

  3. Eye and Ear Institute, University of Pittsburgh, Suite 500, 203 Lothrop Street, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA

    Jennifer Rubin Grandis

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  1. Vivian Wai Yan Lui
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  2. Jennifer Rubin Grandis
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Correspondence to Jennifer Rubin Grandis.

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Lui, V.W.Y., Grandis, J.R. Primary Chemotherapy and Radiation as a Treatment Strategy for HPV-Positive Oropharyngeal Cancer. Head and Neck Pathol 6 (Suppl 1), 91–97 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12105-012-0364-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12105-012-0364-5

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