Table 3 Clinical and pathological characteristics of the study population. Samples were stratified into HPV-positive (HPV+), and HPV-negative (HPV−) groups based on the presence of an active HPV infection. Tumor classification is based on the 8th TNM Staging System [22], which includes tumor extent (T), extent of lymph node spread (N), and presence of metastasis (M)

No. of patients

60 (64.5)

33 (35.5)

93 (100.0)

Age (years)^##

0.6615

Mean

61.9

60.8

61.5

Median

60.5

62.0

61.0

Range (years)

39–87

46–83

39–87

Gender^&

0.0293

Male

50 (83.3)

20 (60.6)

70 (75.3)

Female

10 (16.7)

13 (39.4)

23 (24.7)

Tumor location^&

< 0.0001

Oropharynx

60 (100.0)

13 (39.4)

73 (78.5)

Oral cavity

0 (0.0)

20 (60.6)

20 (21.5)

Smoking status^&

0.0076

Never

27 (45.0)

5 (15.2)

32 (34.4)

Past/current

33 (55.0)

28 (84.8)

61 (65.6)

Alcohol consumption^&

0.0361

Never

23 (38.3)

5 (15.2)

28 (30.1)

Past/current

37 (61.7)

28 (84.8)

65 (69.9)

Metastasis^#

0.0420

Absent

60 (100.0)

30 (90.9)

90 (96.8)

Present

0 (0.0)

3 (9.1)

3 (3.2)

p16 status^&

< 0.0001

Positive

58 (96.7)

0 (0.0)

58 (62.4)

Negative

2 (3.3)

33 (100.0)

35 (37.6)

Tumor size (pT)^&

0.1252

T1

16 (26.7)

11 (33.3)

27 (29.0)

T2

41 (68.3)

16 (48.5)

57 (61.3)

T3

2 (3.3)

3 (9.1)

5 (5.4)

T4

1 (1.7)

3 (9.1)

4 (4.3)

Nodal status (pN)^&

0.0001

N0

16 (26.7)

19 (57.6)

35 (37.6)

N1

37 (61.6)

5 (15.2)

42 (45.2)

N2

6 (10.0)

4 (12.1)

10 (10.8)

N3

1 (1.7)

5 (15.2)

6 (6.4)

Extracapsular spread^&

0.1413

Absent

39 (65.0)

27 (81.8)

66 (71.0)

Present

21 (35.0)

6 (18.2)

27 (29.0)

Tumor stage (pS)^&

< 0.0001

I

48 (80.1)

8 (24.2)

56 (60.2)

II

8 (13.3)

8 (24.2)

16 (17.2)

III

2 (3.3)

4 (12.1)

6 (6.5)

IV

2 (3.3)

13 (39.4)

15 (16.1)

Adjuvant treatment^&

0.0198

Radiotherapy

24 (40.0)

19^a (57.6)

43 (46.2)

Chemoradiotherapy

26 (43.3)

5^b (15.2)

31 (33.3)

Not specified

2 (3.3)

0 (0.0)

2 (2.2)

No

8 (13.3)

9 (27.3)

17 (18.3)