E6 viral protein ratio correlates with outcomes in human papillomavirus related oropharyngeal cancer.

The study aimed to identify prognostic markers to improve the management of patients with HPV positive OSCC

Methods

We determined the ratio of HPV E6*I and E6*II splice variants by quantitative RT-PCR in 177 HPV positive OSCC and correlated the findings with other clinicopathological data

Results

There was no significant difference in locoregional recurrence (HR 1.72 p = 0.24) and death (HR 1.65, p = 0.13) among patients whose tumors had an E6*I/*II ratio ≥1 compared with an E6*I/*II ratio of <1. Univariate analysis showed that patients with E6*I/*II ≥1 OSCC were more likely to have an event. In the multivariable analysis, there was a trend for more events in patients with E6*I/*II ratio ≥1 (HR 1.70, 95% CI 0.95-3.03, p = 0.07)

CONCLUSION

Our data suggest that the use of HPV 16 spliced transcripts may help to predict for poorer outcomes in patients with HPV positive OSCC.