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. 2025 Aug;47(8):2248-2259.
doi: 10.1002/hed.28143. Epub 2025 Mar 27.

Treatment Outcomes of Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Soft Palate and the Prognostic Significance of HPV/p16 Status

Meng-Hua Li  1   2   3 , Xing Zhang  1   2   3 , Feng-Jiao Li  2   3   4 , Xian-Lu Gao  1   2   3 , Shi-da Yan  1   2   3 , Qiao-Hong Lin  1   2   3 , Xi-Yuan Li  1   2   3 , Jian Meng  1   2   3 , Ying Zhang  1   2   3 , Shi-Ting Zhang  1   2   3 , Shu-Wei Chen  1   2   3 , Ming Song  1   2   3
Affiliations

Treatment Outcomes of Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Soft Palate and the Prognostic Significance of HPV/p16 Status

Meng-Hua Li et al. Head Neck. 2025 Aug.

Abstract

Background: Squamous cell carcinoma of the soft palate (SCCSP) represents a rare subtype of oropharyngeal cancer. This study aims to evaluate the treatment outcomes of SCCSP and to assess the prognostic significance of HPV status.

Methods: Patients diagnosed with SCCSP between January 1981 and December 2021 were collected. Survival outcomes were compared.

Results: In univariate analysis, primary surgery resulted in superior progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), and disease-specific survival (DSS) compared with definitive radiotherapy (p < 0.05). Furthermore, multivariate analysis revealed that primary surgery independently correlated with superior PFS (HR = 0.37, p = 0.002), OS (HR = 0.55, p = 0.012), and DSS (HR = 0.45, p = 0.020) in early-stage SCCSPs. Additionally, no significant prognostic differences were observed between HPV/p16 positive and HPV/p16 negative SCCSPs (p > 0.05).

Conclusion: Surgery yields superior oncological outcomes for early-stage SCCSP patients. HPV status does not demonstrate prognostic significance in SCCSP.

Keywords: HPV; oropharyngeal cancer; prognosis; radiotherapy; surgery; treatment.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declarenoconflicts of interest.

Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
Kaplan–Meier survival curves stratified by treatment group. (A) Kaplan–Meier curve for PFS in the whole cohort stratified by treatment group. (B) Kaplan–Meier curve for OS in the whole cohort stratified by treatment group. (C) Kaplan–Meier curve for DSS in the whole cohort stratified by treatment group. (D) Kaplan–Meier curve for PFS in early‐stage SCCSPs stratified by treatment group. (E) Kaplan–Meier curve for OS in early‐stage SCCSPs stratified by treatment group. (F) Kaplan–Meier curve for DSS in early‐stage SCCSPs stratified by treatment group. [Color figure can be viewed at wileyonlinelibrary.com]
FIGURE 2
FIGURE 2
Kaplan–Meier survival curves stratified by HPV/p16 status. (A) Kaplan–Meier curve for PFS stratified by HPV/p16 status. (B) Kaplan–Meier curve for OS stratified by HPV/p16 status. (C) Kaplan–Meier curve for DSS stratified by HPV/p16 status. [Color figure can be viewed at wileyonlinelibrary.com]
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