Objectives: Human Papillomavirus (HPV)-related oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) patients have improved prognosis compared to other head and neck (HNSCC) cancers. Since poor prognosis is associated with tumour hypoxia, we studied whether the hypoxic response is different in HPV-related cells and tumours.
Material And Methods: HPV-positive and -negative cells were incubated in hypoxia and analyzed by qRTPCR, western blotting and cell proliferation assays.