HPV Throat Cancer

Throat cancer, more properly referred to as oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma, results as a complication of infection with the human papillomavirus or simply HPV. Traditionally HPV related cancers mostly involved the cervix. Cervical cancers are now considered sexually transmitted.

Only recently HPV related cancers of the oropharynx exceeded those of the cervix. Interestingly it appears that the majority of cases relate to the same HPV 16 implicated in cervical, anal and penile cancer. Epidemiologic investigations link orogenital sexual practices to throat cancer with an incubation or latent period of several decades between infection and disease.

Whether the virus directly precipitates the cancer remains unknown. Genetic susceptibility or a cofactor such as cigarette smoking or alcohol consumption may be involved.

Although infection with the virus appears quite common, symptoms prior to onset of the malignancy are not. In excess of 7.5% of men and nearly 2% of women harbor the so-called oncogenic viral infection in the back of the throat without any hint of its presence.

Oropharyngeal cancer occurs in the rear portion of the throat bounded by the tonsils, back of the tongue and walls of the throat. These cancers differ significantly from cancers of the mouth, lip, tongue and cheek that result primarily from tobacco and alcohol abuse.

Fortunately throat cancer associated with HPV appears less aggressive than malignancies lacking the virus. Treatment results and survival favor those with the infection. This recent information seems poised to limit the radical nature of surgical, radiation and chemotherapeutic treatment customarily associated with cancers of this area.