Is HPV‐Associated Oropharyngeal Cancer Becoming More Common in Older Patients?

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate changing age demographics over a 15‐year period for patients with HPV‐associated oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC). STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective review of patients identified with p16‐positive OPSCC at our institution over a 15‐year timeframe. Materials/Methods: p16‐positive immunohistochemistry was used as a surrogate for HPV‐associated OPSCC. Patients were categorized according to year of diagnosis (2002‐2010 versus 2011‐2016). Mean age and proportion of patients over age 65 were statistically evaluated and compared. RESULTS: From 2002 to 2010, 100 patients were identified with p16‐positive OPSCC, mean age at diagnosis was 55.2, and the proportion of patients over 65 was 10.0%. From 2011 to 2016, 188 patients were identified with p16‐positive OPSCC, mean age was 58.5, and the proportion of patients over 65 was 19.6%. Both the mean age difference and the difference in proportion of patients over 65 were statistically significant (P = .001 and P = .034, respectively). CONCLUSION: The mean age at diagnosis and proportion of patients over 65 has increased over the past 15 years at our institution. This data suggests that HPV‐associated OPSCC is being diagnosed more frequently in older persons and that the age demographic may be shifting. Confirmation of this trend with larger patient numbers on a national level will be valuable. This study highlights the importance of maintaining a high clinical suspicion for HPV‐associated OPSCC regardless of patient age. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 4