Oncogenic driver mutations predict outcome in a cohort of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) patients within a clinical trial

234 diagnostic formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) blocks from homogeneously treated patients with locally advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) within a multicentre phase III clinical trial were characterised. The mutational spectrum was examined by next generation sequencing in the 26 most frequent oncogenic drivers in cancer and correlated with treatment response and survival. Human papillomavirus (HPV) status was measured by p16INK4a immunohistochemistry in oropharyngeal tumours. Clinicopathological features and response to treatment were measured and compared with the sequencing results. The results indicated TP53 as the most mutated gene in locally advanced HNSCC. HPV-positive oropharyngeal tumours were less mutated than HPV-negative tumours in TP53 (p < 0.01). Mutational and HPV status influences patient survival, being mutated or HPV-negative tumours associated with poor overall survival (p < 0.05). No association was found between mutations and clinicopathological features. This study confirmed and expanded previously published genomic characterization data in HNSCC. Survival analysis showed that non-mutated HNSCC tumours associated with better prognosis and lack of mutations can be identified as an important biomarker in HNSCC. Frequent alterations in PI3K pathway in HPV-positive HNSCC could define a promising pathway for pharmacological intervention in this group of tumours.