Human papillomaviruses in etiopathogenesis of head and neck cancer and its epidemiology

01/2017

Prof. MUDr. Jan Klozar, CSc.

Klinika ORL a chirurgie hlavy a krku 1. LF UK a FN v Motole, Praha

SUMMARY

The incidence of human papillomaviruses (HPV) associated oropharyngeal cancer rapidly increases. HPV positive tumors are different from tobacco induced tumors biologically, epidemiologically and also by its clinical behavior. Patients with HPV positive tumors are significantly less frequently smokers and may have different sexual habits. The existence of two distinct entities of oropharyngeal cancer can in the future influence the clinical decision making, the treatment of HPV positive tumors will probably be deescalated and thus have reduced toxicity. Vaccination of the whole population together with limitation of tobacco consumption could have beneficial effect on the incidence of oropharyngeal cancer.

KEY WORDS

human papillomaviruses, oropharyngeal cancer, epidemiology, prognosis, prevention