Is p16 immunohistochemistry a more cost-effective method for identification of human papilloma virus–associated head and neck squamous cell carcinoma?

Cisplatin and fluorouracil with or without panitumumab in patients with recurrent or metastatic squamous-cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SPECTRUM): an open-label phase 3 randomised trial

“…SCCHN associated with HPV infection seems to be a biologically distinct subset of SCCHN, particularly with regard to diff erences in genetic alterations between HPV-positive and HPV-negative disease. 11,13,17,18 When tested as a specifi c immuno histochemical marker for HPV oncogene expression, p16 with a 10% cutoff is robust, 38 and has high concordance with high-risk HPV DNA, RNA, and E6 and E7 gene expression. [39][40][41] Immunohistochemical detection of p16 has been successfully used in several clinical studies of patients with SCCHN as a screening marker to estimate HPV status.…”

PET/CT Imaging and Human Papilloma Virus–Positive Oropharyngeal Squamous Cell Cancer: Evolving Clinical Imaging Paradigm

“…p16 immunohistochemistry is easier to interpret than HPV in situ hybrid-ization (25), as well as less expensive. However, the expression of p16 is not limited to HPV-positive tumors, and using this marker alone as an indicator of biologically relevant HPV infections inevitably entails the risk of including some false-positive results (22,25). Detection of p16 can also indicate disruption of the retinoblastoma protein pathway by other causes, and HPV infection other than HPV-16 type (24) can also lead to false-positives.…”

“…Many studies have demonstrated the correlation between HPV and p16 expression status in HNSCC (18)(19)(20)(21)(22)(23)(24). p16 immunohistochemistry is easier to interpret than HPV in situ hybrid-ization (25), as well as less expensive. However, the expression of p16 is not limited to HPV-positive tumors, and using this marker alone as an indicator of biologically relevant HPV infections inevitably entails the risk of including some false-positive results (22,25).…”

Papillary Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Trachea Associated with Human Papillomavirus-18 Infection

“…In our case, the squamous cell carcinoma was immunohis- tochemically positive for p16, the expression of which is used to determine the presence of biologically active HPV in patients with squamous cell carcinoma (11)(12)(13). The absence of functional phosphorylated retinoblastoma (pRB) can upregulate the p16 expression.…”