p16‐positive lymph node metastases from cutaneous head and neck squamous cell carcinoma: No association with high‐risk human papillomavirus or prognosis and implications for the workup of the unknown primary

Abstract

p16 positivity is common but not prognostic in cHNSCC lymph node metastases. High-risk HPV subtypes are not associated with p16 positivity and do not appear to play a role in this disease. HPV testing, in addition to the p16 status in the unknown primary setting, may provide additional information for determining a putative primary site.