Sinonasal adenoid cystic carcinoma: Treatment outcomes and association with human papillomavirus

BackgroundThe purpose of this study was to review long-term outcomes of sinonasal adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) and to clarify its association with human papillomavirus (HPV). MethodsThe medical records of 23 patients with sinonasal ACC treated with primary surgical resection between 1998 and 2013 were reviewed. Tissue specimens were available for 17 patients. The p16 testing was performed using immunohistochemistry (IHC), and HPV infection was determined using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with primers targeting the E6/E7 region. ResultsTwo of the 17 samples showed strong and diffuse p16 staining, whereas the remaining 15 cases showed p16-positivity isolated to the luminal cells. Only one of the p16-positive cases was positive for HPV. The 5-year local failure, disease-free survival (DFS), and overall survival (OS) were 51%, 52%, and 62%, respectively. ConclusionLocal failures are common with advanced sinonasal ACC, and the association of HPV with true sinonasal ACC is low.