Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41745084›Full record

ReviewDiseases (Basel, Switzerland)2026

State of the Art of Systemic Therapy in HPV-Positive Oropharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma: A Scoping Review.

Fausto Petrelli, Mara Ghilardi, Agostina De Stefani, Massimiliano Nardone, Vincenzo Capriotti

Abstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review in Diseases (Basel, Switzerland), 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–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

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

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

5 authors.

Fausto PetrelliOncology Unit, Oncology Department, ASST Bergamo Ovest, Piazzale Ospedale 1, 24047 Treviglio, Italy.ORCID 0000-0001-9639-4486
Mara GhilardiOncology Unit, Oncology Department, ASST Bergamo Ovest, Piazzale Ospedale 1, 24047 Treviglio, Italy.
Agostina De StefaniRadiotherapy Unit, ASST Bergamo Ovest, 24047 Treviglio, Italy.
Massimiliano NardoneOtorhinolaryngology Unit, ASST Bergamo Ovest, 24047 Treviglio, Italy.
Vincenzo CapriottiOtorhinolaryngology Unit, Mirano Hospital, 30035 Mirano, Italy.ORCID 0000-0001-5294-0449

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectivesTo synthesize current evidence and emerging data on systemic treatment strategies for early-stage and locally advanced human papillomavirus (HPV)-positive oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC), with emphasis on treatment de-escalation and the integration of immunotherapy. DATA SOURCES: We searched PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, and EMBASE for English-language studies published from 2010 to 2025 using terms related to HPV-positive disease, oropharyngeal carcinoma, de-escalation, chemoradiation, and immunotherapy. REVIEW

methodsPeer-reviewed clinical trials, meta-analyses, and key translational studies addressing systemic therapy, biomarkers, and immunotherapeutic strategies in HPV-positive OPSCC were included. Emphasis was placed on phase II-III trials evaluating cisplatin-sparing regimens, cetuximab substitution, radiation dose reduction, and early-phase immunotherapy combinations. Evidence was synthesized qualitatively.

resultsCisplatin-based concurrent chemoradiation remains the standard of care for locally advanced HPV-positive OPSCC. De-intensification trials suggest that reduced-intensity regimens may be feasible in carefully selected low-risk patients; however, replacing cisplatin with cetuximab results in inferior survival. PD-1 inhibitors (e.g., pembrolizumab, nivolumab) provide durable responses in recurrent/metastatic disease and are under active evaluation in earlier stages and in combination with therapeutic vaccines, bispecific antibodies, and viral-vector platforms.

conclusionsSystemic therapy for HPV-positive OPSCC is moving toward biomarker-informed personalization. Cisplatin-based chemoradiation remains the curative backbone, while rational de-escalation and immunotherapy integration may preserve high cure rates while reducing long-term toxicity. Ongoing phase III trials will clarify which patient subsets are most suitable for de-intensified or immunotherapeutic approaches, guiding future standards of care.

Indexed as

chemoradiationde-escalationHPVHPV-positiveimmunotherapyOPSCCoropharyngeal squamous cell carcinomascoping review

Identifiers

PMID41745084
PMCPMC12939634

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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.