Prognostic impact of human papillomavirus status, survivin, and epidermal growth factor receptor expression on survival in patients treated with radiochemotherapy for very advanced nonresectable oropharyngeal cancer.

Background: The influence of human papillomavirus (HPV) status on survival for patients with very advanced inoperable oropharyngeal SCC treated with radiochemotherapy (RCT) was studied.

Methods: Patients received either 69.2 Gy with concomitant boost (ccb) or 70 Gy conventionally fractionated (cf), weekly paclitaxel 40 mg/m(2), and carboplatin area under the concentration-time curve (AUC) 1.