Evidence map›Paper›PMID 35525912›Full record

ArticleBMC cancer2022

Combined chemoradiotherapy showed improved outcome with early-stage HPV-positive oropharyngeal cancers.

X J David Lu, Emmanuel Jackson, Jason Chew, Sally Nguyen, Jonn Wu, Catherine F Poh, Eitan Prisman

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMC cancer, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
5citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

5 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Oncologic Outcomes of Transoral Robotic Surgery in HPV-Associated OPSCC: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Otolaryngology--head and neck surgery : official journal of American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery · 2026
    Pooled it
  2. Article
  3. Article
  4. Review
  5. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

X J David LuDepartment of Oral Biological and Medical Sciences, Faculty of Dentistry, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
Emmanuel JacksonDivision of Neuroradiology, Department of Radiology, Vancouver General Hospital, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
Jason ChewDivision of Neuroradiology, Department of Radiology, Vancouver General Hospital, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
Sally NguyenDivision of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Department of Surgery, Vancouver General Hospital, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
Jonn WuDepartment of Radiation Oncology, BC Cancer Agency, Vancouver Center, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
Catherine F PohDepartment of Oral Biological and Medical Sciences, Faculty of Dentistry, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
Eitan PrismanDivision of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Department of Surgery, Vancouver General Hospital, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. eitan.prisman@ubc.ca.

Funding

Terry Fox Research Institute 2009-24
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe revised 8th Edition American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) Head and Neck Staging Manual distinguishes HPV-mediated from non-HPV-mediated oropharyngeal cancer (OpSCC). The objective was to analyze OpSCC treatment modalities and outcomes.

methodsA retrospective study of OpSCC patients treated with radiotherapy or chemoradiotherapy between January 1st, 2000, and December 31st, 2008, as identified from the BC Cancer Registry. All patients received treatment at cancer clinics and had at least 5 years follow-up post-treatment. A total of 1259 OpSCC patients were identified. After initial chart reviews, 288 patients were excluded from further analysis and the majority (n = 198) was due to not receiving curative treatment. Based on the availability of formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue, patients were divided into two cohorts: Study Cohort (FFPE available, n = 244) and General Cohort (FFPE unavailable, n = 727). The Study Cohort was restaged according to AJCC 8th Edition based on p16 immunohistochemistry status. Kaplan-Meier analysis was used to estimate the 5-year overall survival (OS), disease-specific survival (DSS), and locoregional recurrence-free survival (LFS).

resultsAmong 971 patients, OpSCC age-adjusted incidence rate was observed to have increased from 2.1 to 3.5 per 100,000 between 2000 and 2008. The General Cohort was relatively older than the Study Cohort (60.1 ± 10.5 vs. 57.3 ± 9.4), but both cohorts were predominantly males (78.3% vs. 76.2%). Amongst the Study Cohort, 77.5% were p16-positive, of whom 98.4% were down staged in the 8th Edition. These early-stage patients showed OS improvement for those treated with chemoradiation, compared to radiation alone (85.8% vs. 73.1%, p = 0.05).

conclusionsOpSCC incidence is increasing in BC. The addition of chemotherapy to radiotherapy may portend a benefit in OS even for early-stage p16-positive OpSCC. Additional research is necessary to assess the safety of treatment de-escalation even among early-stage disease.

Indexed as

Oropharyngeal NeoplasmsPapillomavirus InfectionsChemoradiotherapyFemaleHumansMaleNeoplasm StagingPrognosisRetrospective StudiesHuman papillomavirusOropharyngeal squamous cell carcinomaStagingSurvival analysisTreatment

Identifiers

PMID35525912
PMCPMC9077931

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.