Human papillomavirus (HPV)-associated oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (HPV-OSCC) represents a specific clinical and pathological entity among head and neck cancers with more favorable prognosis than corresponding HPV-negative oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). HPV-OSCC most commonly displays non-keratinzing SCC histology, although number of cases presented variable morphology. Detection of transcriptionally active HPV in oropharyngeal SCCs is of critical prognostic importance, which even supersedes the importance of their formal pathological grading. This article summarizes the current state of knowledge of HPV-positive SCC of oropharynx and of other anatomical subsites of the head and neck and discusses the role of HPV detection in the diagnostics of metastatic SCC lesions of unknown origin.
Keywords: squamous cell carcinoma - HPV - head and neck - oropharyngeal carcinoma - nasopharyngeal carcinoma - sinonasal carcinoma..