Substantial molecular evidence suggests a role for human papillomavirus (HPV) in the pathogenesis of laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC), but epidemiologic and prognosis data have been inconsistent in a Chinese population.

This multicenter and case control study included 674 LSCC patients and 674 control patients treated in three centers in Shanghai from 2006 till 2013. We used immunohistochemistry (IHC) and GenoArray genotyping assay to evaluate the HPV infection status and determined its prevalence and influence on disease prognosis.

The total prevalence of HPV DNA was 4,9 % (33/674) in LSCC patients and 0 % (0/674) in control cases in our series (P<0,01). HPV positive was more common in nonsmokers (13 % nonsmokers vs. 6 % somkers, P<0,05), in nondrinkers (11 % nondrinkers vs. 6 % drinkers, P<0,05) and in supraglottic LSCC (12 % supraglottic, 7 % glottic vs. 0 % subglottic, P<0,05). In 33 HPV positive patients, 28 (84.8 %) were HPV-16, 2 (6.1 %) were HPV-18, and 1 (3.0 %) each HPV-31, HPV-45 and HPV-33 positive. The 3-year overall survival rate was 76.3 % for HPV positive patients and 70.7 % for HPV negative patients (P=0.30). The 3-year disease progression-free rate was 65.1 % for HPV positive patients and 58.3 % for HPV negative ones (P=0.37).

A very low prevalence of HPV was among LSCC patients in a Chinese population. HPV was more common in nonsmokers, non-drinkers and supraglottic LSCC patients. The presence of HPV DNA was not associated with patients’ overall survival and disease progression-free rate in our series.