HPV Causes 16,000 Head and Neck Cancers a Year, Overtaking Cervical Cancer

3 articles · Updated · University of Minnesota Twin Cities · Jun 4

16,000 U.S. head and neck cancers a year are now tied to HPV, surpassing 11,100 cervical cancers and making them the most common HPV-related cancer, with men bearing most cases.
No standard early screening exists for HPV-driven throat, tongue-base and tonsil cancers, so they are often found late; incidence tripled from 2000 to 2017 as transmission linked to oral sex and intimate kissing spread.
Stage 4 patient Michael Whelan learned of his cancer only after a scan for arthritis pain; surgeons removed a golf-ball-sized tumor and 35 lymph nodes, followed by 18 months of chemotherapy, radiation and more surgery.
79% of girls and 77% of boys ages 13 to 17 had received at least one HPV vaccine dose in 2024, and emerging evidence suggests vaccination cuts oral HPV infections by 88% and roughly halves HPV-related cancers in males.
13 million Americans contract HPV each year, and experts say vaccinating children at ages 9 to 12 remains the best chance to curb what one oncologist called a growing virus-driven cancer epidemic.

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University of Minnesota Twin Cities5d ago

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A new case study has revealed that a typically mild human papillomavirus known as beta HPV can directly drive cancer growth under specific immune conditions. Doctors examined a thirty four year old

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HPV-Related Head and Neck Cancers Now Surpass Cervical Cancer: A Growing Public Health Crisis and the Urgent Need for Expanded Vaccination

Overview

HPV-related head and neck cancers, especially oropharyngeal cancers, have now become the most common HPV-associated cancers in the United States. This shift is mainly due to the success of cervical cancer prevention, including widespread screening, early detection, and HPV vaccination, which led to a 50% drop in cervical cancer rates. At the same time, HPV-related oral cavity and pharynx cancers are rising, often affecting people with more lifetime sexual partners and earlier sexual activity, highlighting the role of sexual transmission. These trends show the need for ongoing prevention, vaccination, and awareness efforts to address the changing landscape of HPV-related cancers.

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