Dr. Zevallos on Molecular Profile of HPV-Positive Oropharyngeal SCC Stratified by Smoking Status

Jose P. Zevallos, MD, MPH, FACS, assistant professor, director of Oncologic Research, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, discusses a study that examined the molecular profile of patients with HPV-positive oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) stratified by smoking status.

Using targeted DNA sequencing, researchers sought to determine if patients with HPV-positive disease who were smokers had differing mutational status than those who were both HPV-positive and nonsmokers.

Results showed that there were distinct genomic differences between HPV-positive nonsmokers and HPV-positive smokers. Smokers harbored mutations that mimicked HPV-negative tumors, he adds. This demonstrates that patients who are HPV-positive but have this genetic profile likely will not respond as well to treatment.

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