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Review
. 2020 May 11;21(9):3388.
doi: 10.3390/ijms21093388.

Special Issue about Head and Neck Cancers: HPV Positive Cancers

Panagiota Economopoulou  1 , Ioannis Kotsantis  1 , Amanda Psyrri  1
Affiliations
Review

Special Issue about Head and Neck Cancers: HPV Positive Cancers

Panagiota Economopoulou et al. Int J Mol Sci. .

Abstract

The oropharynx has become the leading primary site for Human Papilloma Virus (HPV)-associated head and neck cancer. HPV positive oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (HPV+ OSCC) has emerged as an epidemic not easily recognized by many physicians, resulting in delays in diagnosis and management. HPV+ OSCC traditionally refers to younger, healthier patients with high economic status and high-risk sexual behavior and is related to improved prognosis. De-intensification strategies are being evaluated in ongoing clinical trials and if validated, might help spare severe morbidity associated with current cisplatin-based chemoradiotherapy, which is the standard of care for all patients with locally advanced head and neck cancer. On the other hand, whether HPV status represents an important prognostic factor for non-oropharyngeal sites remains to be elucidated.

Keywords: HPV; de-escalation; head and neck cancer; oropharyngeal cancer.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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