Role of P16 Expression in the Prognosis of Patients With Laryngeal Cancer: A Single Retrospective Analysis. (18th September 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Allegra, Eugenia; Bianco, Maria Rita; Mignogna, Chiara; Caltabiano, Rosario; Grasso, Maria; Puzzo, Lidia
• Is Part Of: Cancer control. Volume 28(2021)
• Publication Date: 2021-09-18
• Subjects: laryngeal cancer -- p16 overexpression -- human papillomavirus -- disease-specific survival -- cancer biomarkers; Cancer -- Prevention -- Periodicals; Cancer -- Diagnosis -- Periodicals; Cancer -- Treatment -- Periodicals; Cancer -- Palliative treatment -- Periodicals; Cancer -- Prevention; Medical Oncology; Neoplasms -- prevention & control; Neoplasms -- therapy; Electronic journals; Periodicals; Periodicals; 616.994005
• DOI: 10.1177/10732748211033544
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1073-2748

Abstract

Background: A possible oncogenic role of human papillomavirus (HPV) in head and neck cancers (mainly oropharynx tumors) has been suggested. This significant association has been considered true for oropharynx tumors; however, the association between HPV infection and laryngeal carcinomas is yet to be established. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between p16 expression and long-term overall, disease-free, and disease-specific survival (OS, DF, and DSS, respectively) in patients surgically treated for laryngeal carcinoma. Materials and Methods: Seventy-four previously untreated laryngeal carcinoma patients who underwent surgical treatment were considered for this retrospective study. The tissue specimens were processed for immunohistochemical p16 protein (surrogate HPV marker) detection. Results: Survival analysis of the p16 expression of the primary tumor showed that the 5-year OS rates were 90% and 29.7% for the p16-positive and negative groups, respectively ( P = .003). The 5-year DFS and DSS also differed between both groups ( P < .001), whereas the 5-year DSS seemed to be related to tumor/lymph node classification and p16 expression. However, only p16 expression was identified as an independent prognostic factor associated with OS and DSS. Conclusions: Surgically treated p16-positive laryngeal cancer patients may represent a subset of patients with a better prognosis than their p16-negative counterparts.