The Changing Face of Head and Neck Cancer in the 21st Century: the Impact of HPV on the Epidemiology and Pathology of Oral Cancer

Overview

Journal Head Neck Pathol

Specialties Oncology
Pathology

Date 2010 Jul 3

PMID 20596995

Citations 94

Authors

William H Westra

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

The longstanding notion that head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is a uniform disease process is changing. Divergence in epidemiologic trends among HNSCCs arising in different anatomic subsites has introduced a view that HNSCC is a heterogeneous group. Analysis of molecular genetic changes discloses not just individual tumor differences, but also consistent large-scale differences that permit the recognition of important tumor subtypes. One recently recognized subtype is the human papillomavirus (HPV)-positive oropharyngeal carcinoma. HPV-positive oropharyngeal cancer now dominates the head and neck oncology landscape, and its escalating incidence is impacting on diagnostic, preventive and therapeutic practices.

Citing Articles

A Cohort Study Exploring HPV Vaccination Beliefs Among Oral Health Providers: Broadening the Scope of Education and Administration.

Brechtel L, Kilgore L, Oyedeji O, Mastronardi A, Carlson E, Zite N Vaccines (Basel). 2025; 12(12.

PMID: 39771993 PMC: 11680363. DOI: 10.3390/vaccines12121331.

A bioinformatics approach of specificity protein transcription factors in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

Sichani A, Sichani Z, Yazdani B, Azizmohammad Looha M, Sirous H Res Pharm Sci. 2024; 19(3):287-302.

PMID: 39035812 PMC: 11257197. DOI: 10.4103/RPS.RPS_171_23.

Analysis of mutational variations in tumour suppressor gene among Pakistani head and neck cancer patients.

Fatima S, Bibi A, Qureshi S, Khan S Ecancermedicalscience. 2024; 18:1703.

PMID: 39021553 PMC: 11254404. DOI: 10.3332/ecancer.2024.1703.

Expression of Aberrant MicroRNAs and p16INK4a Associated with HPV (6, 11, 16, 18, 31, 33, 35, 42, 43, 44, 45, 52, 53, and 56) in Oral Dysplasia and Squamous Cell Carcinoma: A Retrospective Study.

Hafed L, Shaker O, Ayeldeen G, Amer H, Al-Qadhi G Turk Patoloji Derg. 2024; 40(3):149-161.

PMID: 38530109 PMC: 11402377. DOI: 10.5146/tjpath.2024.12909.

Prevalence of Epstein Barr Virus and Herpes Simplex Virus Among Human Papillomavirus Negative Oral Cancer Patients: A Cross-Sectional Study from South India.

Jain P, Kumar N, Shetty S, Kalladka S, Sinduvadi Ramesh P, Patil P Indian J Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2024; 76(1):414-421.

PMID: 38440516 PMC: 10908691. DOI: 10.1007/s12070-023-04174-6.

References

Begum S, Westra W . Basaloid squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck is a mixed variant that can be further resolved by HPV status. Am J Surg Pathol. 2008; 32(7):1044-50. DOI: 10.1097/PAS.0b013e31816380ec. View

Weinberger P, Yu Z, Haffty B, Kowalski D, Harigopal M, Brandsma J . Molecular classification identifies a subset of human papillomavirus--associated oropharyngeal cancers with favorable prognosis. J Clin Oncol. 2006; 24(5):736-47. DOI: 10.1200/JCO.2004.00.3335. View

DSouza G, Kreimer A, Viscidi R, Pawlita M, Fakhry C, Koch W . Case-control study of human papillomavirus and oropharyngeal cancer. N Engl J Med. 2007; 356(19):1944-56. DOI: 10.1056/NEJMoa065497. View

Pai S, Westra W . Molecular pathology of head and neck cancer: implications for diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment. Annu Rev Pathol. 2008; 4:49-70. PMC: 3703474. DOI: 10.1146/annurev.pathol.4.110807.092158. View

Chaturvedi A, Engels E, Anderson W, Gillison M . Incidence trends for human papillomavirus-related and -unrelated oral squamous cell carcinomas in the United States. J Clin Oncol. 2008; 26(4):612-9. DOI: 10.1200/JCO.2007.14.1713. View

Gillison M, DSouza G, Westra W, Sugar E, Xiao W, Begum S . Distinct risk factor profiles for human papillomavirus type 16-positive and human papillomavirus type 16-negative head and neck cancers. J Natl Cancer Inst. 2008; 100(6):407-20. DOI: 10.1093/jnci/djn025. View

Begum S, Cao D, Gillison M, Zahurak M, Westra W . Tissue distribution of human papillomavirus 16 DNA integration in patients with tonsillar carcinoma. Clin Cancer Res. 2005; 11(16):5694-9. DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.CCR-05-0587. View

Fakhry C, Westra W, Li S, Cmelak A, Ridge J, Pinto H . Improved survival of patients with human papillomavirus-positive head and neck squamous cell carcinoma in a prospective clinical trial. J Natl Cancer Inst. 2008; 100(4):261-9. DOI: 10.1093/jnci/djn011. View

Smith E, Ritchie J, Summersgill K, Klussmann J, Lee J, Wang D . Age, sexual behavior and human papillomavirus infection in oral cavity and oropharyngeal cancers. Int J Cancer. 2003; 108(5):766-72. DOI: 10.1002/ijc.11633. View

10.

Sturgis E, Cinciripini P . Trends in head and neck cancer incidence in relation to smoking prevalence: an emerging epidemic of human papillomavirus-associated cancers?. Cancer. 2007; 110(7):1429-35. DOI: 10.1002/cncr.22963. View

11.

Begum S, Gillison M, Ansari-Lari M, Shah K, Westra W . Detection of human papillomavirus in cervical lymph nodes: a highly effective strategy for localizing site of tumor origin. Clin Cancer Res. 2003; 9(17):6469-75. View

12.

Smeets S, Hesselink A, Speel E, Haesevoets A, Snijders P, Pawlita M . A novel algorithm for reliable detection of human papillomavirus in paraffin embedded head and neck cancer specimen. Int J Cancer. 2007; 121(11):2465-72. DOI: 10.1002/ijc.22980. View

13.

Gillison M, Koch W, Capone R, Spafford M, Westra W, Wu L . Evidence for a causal association between human papillomavirus and a subset of head and neck cancers. J Natl Cancer Inst. 2000; 92(9):709-20. DOI: 10.1093/jnci/92.9.709. View