Survival analysis indicated that HPV positive HNSCC patients had a lower risk of overall death as compared to HPV negative HNSCC patients (HR = 0.77; 95%CI = 0.60-0.99; <i>P</i> = 0.04).<h4>Conclusions</h4>HPV positive HNSCC patients display improved outcomes with PD-1/PD-L1 axis blockade as compared to HPV negative HNSCC patients. The gene discussed is CD274; the disease is head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.