Prevalence of HPV infection in racial–ethnic subgroups of head and neck cancer patients. (26th December 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Ragin, Camille; Liu, Jeffrey C.; Jones, Gieira; Shoyele, Olubunmi; Sowunmi, Bukola; Kennett, Rachel; Gibbs, Denise; Blackman, Elizabeth; Esan, Michael; Brandwein, Margaret S.; Devarajan, Karthik; Bussu, Francesco; Chernock, Rebecca; Chien, Chih-Yen; Cohen, Marc A.; El-Mofty, Samir; Suzuki, Mikio; D'Souza, Gypsyamber; Funchain, Pauline; Eng, Charis; Gollin, Susanne M.; Hong, Angela; Jung, Yuh-S; Krüger, Maximilian; Lewis, James; Morbini, Patrizia; Landolfo, Santo; Rittà, Massimo; Straetmans, Jos; Szarka, Krisztina; Tachezy, Ruth; Worden, Francis P.; Nelson, Deborah; Gathere, Samuel; Taioli, Emanuela;
• Is Part Of: Carcinogenesis. Volume 38:Number 2(2017)
• Page Start: 218
• Page End: 229
• Publication Date: 2016-12-26
• Subjects: Carcinogenesis -- Periodicals; Cancer -- Genetic aspects -- Periodicals; Cancer -- Prevention -- Periodicals; Cancer -- Periodicals; 616.994071
• DOI: 10.1093/carcin/bgw203
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0143-3334

Abstract

Summary: This comprehensive pooled analysis strongly supports a prevalence disparity in HPV+ oropharyngeal cancer by race. Furthermore, the pattern of HPV16, 18 status and p16 expression in oropharyngeal cancer appears to differ by race and this may contribute to survival disparities. Abstract: The landscape of human papillomavirus (HPV) infection in racial/ethnic subgroups of head and neck cancer (HNC) patients has not been evaluated carefully. In this study, a meta-analysis examined the prevalence of HPV in HNC patients of African ancestry. Additionally, a pooled analysis of subject-level data was also performed to investigate HPV prevalence and patterns of p16 (CDNK2A) expression amongst different racial groups. Eighteen publications ( N = 798 Black HNC patients) were examined in the meta-analysis, and the pooled analysis included 29 datasets comprised of 3129 HNC patients of diverse racial/ethnic background. The meta-analysis revealed that the prevalence of HPV16 was higher among Blacks with oropharyngeal cancer than Blacks with non-oropharyngeal cancer. However, there was great heterogeneity observed among studies ( Q test P < 0.0001). In the pooled analysis, after adjusting for each study, year of diagnosis, age, gender and smoking status, the prevalence of HPV16, 18 in oropharyngeal cancer patients was highest in Whites (61.1%), followed by 58.0% in Blacks and 25.2% in Asians ( P < 0.0001). There was no statistically significant difference in HPV16, 18 prevalence in non-oropharyngeal cancer by race ( P = 0.682). With regard to the pattern of HPV16, 18 status and p16 expression, White patients had the highest proportion of HPV16, 18+/p16+ oropharyngeal cancer (52.3%), while Asians and Blacks had significantly lower proportions (23.0 and 22.6%, respectively) [ P < 0.0001]. Our findings suggest that the pattern of HPV16, 18 status and p16 expression in oropharyngeal cancer appears to differ by race and this may contribute to survival disparities.