Prevalence and distribution of Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection and HPV subtypes in oral squamous cell carcinoma in Africa: A systematic review and meta-analysis
1
Cochrane South Africa, South African Medical Research Council, Cape Town, South Africa
Popul. Med. 2026;8(Supplement Supplement 1):A3086
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:
HPV is a well-established risk factor of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC)1. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) the mortality and incidence of this malignancy are projected to increase significantly by 2030 in Africa2,3. While HPV-associated OSCC has a superior survival rate and treatment response when diagnosed timeously, patients in resource-constrained settings don’t reap this benefit, predominantly due to late-stage diagnosis4,5. Despite the availability of primary research, no systematic review of HPV-associated OSCC has been published to date. Therefore, this review aims to aggregate and quantify, from published studies, the prevalence, distribution, and characteristics (Histological and molecular phenotype) of HPV-associated OSCC in Africa.
METHODS:
This review adheres to the PRISMA guidelines and is registered with PROSPERO under registration number CDR42021233331. We will search for observational studies reporting on our predefined objectives, published from 1985 (when HPV was first reported), with no language restriction. Two reviewers independently screened articles (title/abstract and full text) for inclusion, to be subjected to data extraction and risk of bias assessment (JBI tool)6. Quantitative analysis will be conducted in R Software. We will employ a random-effects model (Freeman-Tukey transformation and the DerSimonian-Laird method) to aggregate prevalence estimates with 95% Confidence Intervals. Heterogeneity will be assessed by the I2 statistic. Subgroup analysis will be done on geographical regions, HPV detection method, sex, and anatomical distribution. If reported, we will narratively describe the associated risk factors.
RESULTS:
Our search strategy yielded 1180 articles from PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and EBSCOhost (searched on 12 January 2026). Deduplication (n=983) resulted in 481 potentially eligible articles, currently being considered for inclusion. Final results, following data extraction and analysis, will be presented.
CONCLUSIONS:
This review, seeking to quantify the burden and characteristics of HPV-associated OSCC, is expected to inform strategies involving prevention, control, clinical practice, and policy.
HPV is a well-established risk factor of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC)1. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) the mortality and incidence of this malignancy are projected to increase significantly by 2030 in Africa2,3. While HPV-associated OSCC has a superior survival rate and treatment response when diagnosed timeously, patients in resource-constrained settings don’t reap this benefit, predominantly due to late-stage diagnosis4,5. Despite the availability of primary research, no systematic review of HPV-associated OSCC has been published to date. Therefore, this review aims to aggregate and quantify, from published studies, the prevalence, distribution, and characteristics (Histological and molecular phenotype) of HPV-associated OSCC in Africa.
METHODS:
This review adheres to the PRISMA guidelines and is registered with PROSPERO under registration number CDR42021233331. We will search for observational studies reporting on our predefined objectives, published from 1985 (when HPV was first reported), with no language restriction. Two reviewers independently screened articles (title/abstract and full text) for inclusion, to be subjected to data extraction and risk of bias assessment (JBI tool)6. Quantitative analysis will be conducted in R Software. We will employ a random-effects model (Freeman-Tukey transformation and the DerSimonian-Laird method) to aggregate prevalence estimates with 95% Confidence Intervals. Heterogeneity will be assessed by the I2 statistic. Subgroup analysis will be done on geographical regions, HPV detection method, sex, and anatomical distribution. If reported, we will narratively describe the associated risk factors.
RESULTS:
Our search strategy yielded 1180 articles from PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and EBSCOhost (searched on 12 January 2026). Deduplication (n=983) resulted in 481 potentially eligible articles, currently being considered for inclusion. Final results, following data extraction and analysis, will be presented.
CONCLUSIONS:
This review, seeking to quantify the burden and characteristics of HPV-associated OSCC, is expected to inform strategies involving prevention, control, clinical practice, and policy.
| eISSN: | 2654-1459 |
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