OBJECTIVES: To assess the availability of recent type-specific data on human papillomavirus (HPV) infection in oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC) and report type-specific HPV prevalence in OPSCC in the Asia-Pacific region.

METHODS: PubMed/Medline and EMBASE databases were systematically searched for full publications reporting type-specific HPV DNA detection in histologically confirmed OPSCC. Bibliographies were also searched. Original studies reporting on all of the following were included: overall HPV, types 16 and 18 and ≥1 other high-risk type. Key exclusion criteria were: publication before 2012, not English, special populations (e.g., HIV-infected only) and small study (N<25). Key information, including study type, country, population characteristics, sample type, HPV assay, HPV types detected, p16^INK4a expression, and E6/E7 mRNA detection, was extracted.

RESULTS: Fourteen publications reporting on type-specific distribution were included: 13 reported data on OPSCC overall, 5 on tonsillar SCC, 4 on base of tongue SCC, and 2 on other OPSCC sites. Six studies originated from Eastern Asia (China and Japan only), 3 from Southern Asia (India only), 2 from Oceania (Australia and New Zealand), and 1 each from South-Eastern (Singapore), Central (Kazakhstan) and Western Asia (Israel). Across the Asia-Pacific region, HPV DNA was detected in 43.5% of 1,707 OPSCC cases overall, 50.0% of 142 tonsillar SCC, 20.9% of 239 base of tongue SCC, and 5.5% of 55 OPSCC cases from other anatomic sites. HPV 16 was detected in 88.4% of HPV-positive OPSCC, followed by HPV 18 (5.4%), HPV 31 (3.2%), HPV 45 (3.0%) and HPV 33 (1.3%). The prevalence of other HPV types was <1%.

CONCLUSIONS: Most of the recent data on HPV type-specific distribution in OPSCC in the Asia-Pacific region originates from Eastern Asia. Detection of HPV OPSCC varies across anatomic subsites and is most common in tonsillar SCCs. HPV 16, 18, 31, 45 and 33 are the types that were identified.