Human Papillomavirus in Metastatic Lymph Nodes from Unknown Primary Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Abstract

Twenty-eight percent of metastatic lymph nodes from occult primary tumors were HPV positive. There was no survival difference associated with HPV status. Most of the HPV-positive patients in this study were tobacco users who had similar survival to HPV-negative patients, so caution should be used in interpreting HPV status in these patients.