Amplicons spanning the entire open reading frame of p53 were detected in 6/9 (66.7 %) of HPV16 E6/E7 transcript positive HNSCC samples but only in 2/12 (16.7 %) of the age-matched control group, where E6/E7 transcripts were undetectable (Table 4). Here, TP53 is linked to head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.