Metastatic oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma in cervical lymph nodes associated to HPV infection type 16 and 45; clinical, morphological and molecular study of two cases

Human papillomavirus (HPV)-associated oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma has been identified as a distinct entity within squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck. In contrast to carcinomas associated with alcohol and/or tobacco, this subtype occurs at younger age, with frequent absence of classic risk factors, correlation with oral sexual habits, strong predilection for the palatial tonsils and the base of the tongue (lingual tonsils), basaloid or lymphoepithelial differentiation, higher degree of radiosensitivity, and overall better survival. We report two cases of lymph node, metastatic, poorly differentiated squamous cell carcinoma that were positive by immunohistochemistry for p16 with detection of HPV-16 and HPV-45 by PCR.