Impact of smoking on stage-specific survival in human papilloma virus-associated oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma.

Abstract

The American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) released a new staging system for human papilloma virus (HPV) positive oropharyngeal cancer (OPC) in their eighth edition. The role of smoking in HPV positive oropharyngeal cancer remains controversial and is not factored into the updated staging system. Single institutional, retrospective chart review of patients with HPV positive OPC from 2009 to 2017 was completed. Dichotomized smoking data were collected into 0-9 and ≥10 pack-year histories. Kaplan-Meier survival curves compared overall survival (OS) for smokers and nonsmokers. Five-year OS was not statistically different in stage I or stage II HPV positive OPC comparing nonsmokers versus smokers, but worse in stage III smokers (38% vs. 76%, p < 0.05). Greater than 10 pack-year smoking status may negatively affect survival in late stage HPV positive OPC but not in early stage disease. HPV positive smokers may require additional risk stratification.