Many　epidemical　and　biological　studies　have　proposed　that　human　papillomavirus　(HPV),　primarily　high-risk　HPV16/18,　is　an　etiological　factor　for　a　subset　of　head　and　neck　(HN)　cancers.　On　that　premise,　we　systematically　reviewed　relevant　articles　and　improved　the　understanding　of　HPV-related　cancers.　This　article　comprehensively　described　the　characteristics　of　HPV-associated　HN　tumors　according　to　demography,　histopathology,　molecular　biology,　and　prognosis.　Meta-analyses　were　conducted　to　combine　the　studies　that　reported　the　association　between　HPV　status　and　these　variables　using　Rev　Man　5.0.　The　pooled　results　showed　that　HPV-positive　tumors　were　not　only　poorly　differentiated　(OR　=　2.77,　95%　CI:　2.3-3.32)　and　smaller　(OR　=　2.21,　95%　CI:　1.75-2.8)　but　were　also　strongly　associated　with　oropharynx　(OR　=　5.8,　95%　CI:　4.01-8.38)　and　node　involvement　(OR　=　2.77,　95%　CI:　2.3-3.32).　HPV-related　tumors　showed　significantly　more　p16　overexpression　(OR　=　34.55,　95%　CI:　20.91-57.09)　and　less　TP53　mutations　(OR　=　0.27,　95%　CI:　0.18-0.41)　than　HPV-negative　tumors.　The　patients　with　HPV-positive　cancers　had　different　clinical　behaviors,　such　as　a　reduced　risks　of　death　(HR　=　0.32,　95%　CI:　0.29-0.36).　This　study　supported　the　view　point　that　HPV　is　a　favorable　indicator　of　prognosis　and　that　HPV-related　HN　tumors　are　distinct　from　traditional　tumors.　This　etiological　relationship　could　impact　future　strategies　of　diagnosis,　prevention,　therapy,　and　prognosis　for　this　subset　of　patients.　(C)　2016　Wiley　Periodicals,　Inc.