Comparative analysis of human papilloma virus detection methods and prognostic significance of transcriptionally active viral load in oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma.
The multiplex approach accurately detected active HPV in HNSCC primary tumours and metastases, including archival tissue > 20 years old, and viral load was identified as an independent predictor of overall survival, maintaining prognostic significance even after adjusting for age, stage and lifestyle factors.