Background: Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is a disease involving genetic and lifestyle risk factors such as smoking or high-risk papillomavirus (HR-HPV) infections.

Objective: This study analyzed 92 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with smoking and HPV on HNSCC cancer risk and survival among HNSCC patients.

Material and methods: Eighty-six HNSCC patients (48 non-smoking and 38 smoking) were consecutively included.

Results: Differences were detected in the analysis of survival and SNP genotypes located in the CXCR2 and COMT. Five SNPs in genes PRKDC, TGFb, XRCC1, Cyp2A6 and CTLA4 were found to be different when comparing SNP genotypes in all patients and all controls as a risk of HNSCC. When comparing SNP genotypes among smoking patients and smoking controls, six SNPs in the genes PFR1, IL10, CCL4, IL6, Ku70, and PRF1 were detected. When comparing SNP genotypes, nine SNPs in CHRNA3, PRKDC, CHARNA5, IFN-γ, ESR1, XRCC1, Cyp2A6, CTLA4, and COMT were different in non-smoking patients and non-smoking controls. No association was found between SNP distribution or patient survival and the impact of HR-HPV.

Conclusions: The SNPs differed between smokers and non-smokers and could indicate a possible interaction between genetics and smoking. This could play an important role in a better understanding of the pathogenesis of HNSCC.