Does HPV status influence survival after vulvar cancer?

TY - JOUR

T1 - Does HPV status influence survival after vulvar cancer?

AU - Rasmussen, Christina Louise

AU - Sand, Freja Laerke

AU - Hoffmann Frederiksen, Marie

AU - Kaae Andersen, Klaus

AU - Kjaer, Susanne K

N1 - © 2017 UICC.

PY - 2018/3/15

Y1 - 2018/3/15

N2 - High-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is essential in the carcinogenesis of a substantial part of anogenital and oropharyngeal cancers and has additionally been shown to be a possible predictive marker for survival, especially in oropharyngeal cancer. Studies examining the influence of HPV status on survival after vulvar cancer have been conflicting and limited by small study populations. Therefore, the aim of this review and meta-analysis was to examine whether HPV status influences survival after vulvar cancer, which, to our knowledge, has not been done before. We conducted a systematic search of PubMed, Cochrane Library and Embase to identify studies examining survival after histologically verified and HPV tested vulvar cancer. A total of 18 studies were eligible for inclusion. Study-specific and pooled HRs of the 5-year OS and DFS were calculated using a fixed effects model. The I2 statistic was used to describe heterogeneity. The studies included a total of 1,638 women with HPV tested vulvar cancers of which 541 and 1,097 were HPV-positive and HPV-negative, respectively. Fifteen studies included only squamous cell carcinomas. We found a pooled HR of 0.61 (95% CI: 0.48-0.77) and 0.75 (95% CI: 0.57-1.00) for 5-year OS and DFS, respectively. Across study heterogeneity was moderate to high (OS: I2  = 51%; DFS: I2  = 73%). In conclusion, women with HPV-positive vulvar cancers have a superior survival compared to women with HPV-negative, which could be of great clinical interest and provides insight into the differences in the natural history of HPV-positive and negative vulvar cancers.

AB - High-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is essential in the carcinogenesis of a substantial part of anogenital and oropharyngeal cancers and has additionally been shown to be a possible predictive marker for survival, especially in oropharyngeal cancer. Studies examining the influence of HPV status on survival after vulvar cancer have been conflicting and limited by small study populations. Therefore, the aim of this review and meta-analysis was to examine whether HPV status influences survival after vulvar cancer, which, to our knowledge, has not been done before. We conducted a systematic search of PubMed, Cochrane Library and Embase to identify studies examining survival after histologically verified and HPV tested vulvar cancer. A total of 18 studies were eligible for inclusion. Study-specific and pooled HRs of the 5-year OS and DFS were calculated using a fixed effects model. The I2 statistic was used to describe heterogeneity. The studies included a total of 1,638 women with HPV tested vulvar cancers of which 541 and 1,097 were HPV-positive and HPV-negative, respectively. Fifteen studies included only squamous cell carcinomas. We found a pooled HR of 0.61 (95% CI: 0.48-0.77) and 0.75 (95% CI: 0.57-1.00) for 5-year OS and DFS, respectively. Across study heterogeneity was moderate to high (OS: I2  = 51%; DFS: I2  = 73%). In conclusion, women with HPV-positive vulvar cancers have a superior survival compared to women with HPV-negative, which could be of great clinical interest and provides insight into the differences in the natural history of HPV-positive and negative vulvar cancers.

KW - Cancer Survivors/statistics & numerical data

KW - Carcinoma, Squamous Cell/mortality

KW - DNA, Viral/isolation & purification

KW - Disease-Free Survival

KW - Female

KW - Humans

KW - Papillomaviridae/genetics

KW - Papillomavirus Infections/mortality

KW - Vulvar Neoplasms/mortality

U2 - 10.1002/ijc.31139

DO - 10.1002/ijc.31139

M3 - Review

C2 - 29090456

SN - 0020-7136

VL - 142

SP - 1158

EP - 1165

JO - International Journal of Cancer

JF - International Journal of Cancer

IS - 6

ER -