Competing Causes of Death and Medical Comorbidities Among Patients With Human Papillomavirus–Positive vs Human Papillomavirus–Negative Oropharyngeal Carcinoma and Impact on Adherence to Radiotherapy

Abstract

Pronounced differences exist in lifestyle habits between patients with HPV-negative and HPV-positive oropharyngeal cancer at diagnosis. These differences, as well as those of medical and psychosocial burden, may contribute to observed discrepancies in treatment adherence and need to be considered in outcomes reporting and clinical trial design.