Prognostic Value of the P16/P53 Immunohistochemical Association in Oropharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinomas
Antoine Lagadec, Nazim Benzerdjeb, Ariane Lapierre, Ziyad Alsugair, Amandine Bruyas, Jacques Blanc, Philippe Céruse, Pierre PhilouzeImportance:
Accurate HPV status diagnosis is essential for managing oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma.
Objective:
We aimed to refine HPV status determination using a cost-effective and reliable approach by integrating the p53 immunohistochemical marker with the conventional p16 marker. We assessed the association between HPV status and the p16/p53 tumor immunohistochemical status and analyzed patient survival based on p16/p53 expression.
Design, Setting, Participants, and Exposures:
This retrospective, single-center study included 285 patients with oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (2017-2022) with known p16/p53 immunohistochemical profiles. In a subset of 92 patients, HPV status was formally determined using polymerase chain reaction or in situ hybridization.
Outcome Measures and Results:
The p16/p53 test was an excellent predictor of HPV status (specificity: 100%, sensitivity: 98.48%), significantly outperforming p16 alone (
Conclusion:
The p16/p53 immunohistochemical profile appears to be a reliable surrogate marker for HPV status and a strong predictor of survival. It could help identify discordant cases, helping prevent inappropriate therapeutic de-escalation.
Relevance:
With the advancement of artificial intelligence, integrating additional markers into an algorithmic analysis could further refine patient classification and enable more personalized therapeutic approaches.