Cancer Fighters Thrive is a quarterly print and online magazine bringing readers practical, innovative and inspirational information about cancer treatment and survivorship.
Issue link: http://cancerfightersthrive.epubxp.com/i/259111
spring 2014 | cancer fighters thrive 39 cf thrive. com F or many years the most signif- cant risk factors for head and neck cancers have been alcohol and tobacco use. More recently, infection with a virus called the human papilloma- virus (HPV) has been identifed as a risk factor for a new subset of head and neck cancer. HPV-related head and neck cancer is on the rise, and some experts are predicting an epidemic in the next decade. This type of head and neck cancer defes all stereo- types—it develops in a younger popula- tion, regardless of alcohol or tobacco use. But there is a shred of good news: it often comes with a higher cure rate. Understanding HPV There are more than 120 strains of the HPV virus, and 30 to 40 of these strains are transmitted through sexual contact, including anal, genital and oral contact. Some sexually transmitted HPV types can cause genital warts and some—like HPV types 16 and 18—are considered high risk and are associated with an in- creased risk of developing cancer, includ- ing cervical cancer and head and neck cancer. "HPV is the most common sexually transmitted infection in the world," ex- plains Lanceford Chong, MD, MPH, Medical Director of Radiation Oncology at Cancer Treatment Centers of America® (CTCA) in Goodyear, Arizona. In fact, the virus is so common that nearly all sexually active men and women get it at some point in their lives, accord- ing to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 1 The risk of developing HPV is higher among those who begin sexual activity early and have a higher number of sexual partners, but even peo- ple with only one lifetime sex partner can develop the virus. There is no treatment for HPV, but some vaccines are designed to prevent high-risk strains of the virus (see side- bar). Most HPV infections go away by themselves within two years, as the body's immune system clears the virus; however, some people don't clear the vi- rus, perhaps as a result of genetic factors. In these cases, HPV can be associated with other health problems, including head and neck cancer. Oral HPV The same types of HPV that infect the genital areas can infect the mouth and throat. HPV found in the mouth and throat is referred to as oral HPV. Oral HPV is associated in particular with a type of head and neck cancer known as oropharyngeal cancer. Oral HPV is about three times more common in men than in women. Interestingly, oropharyngeal cancers are also about three times more common in men than women. 2 Oral HPV can be transmitted during oral sex or open-mouthed kissing, al- though the likelihood of contracting oral HPV from these behaviors is unknown. HPV and Head and Neck Cancer Helen Yoo Bowne, MD, an Otolaryn- gologist at CTCA in Philadelphia, Penn- sylvania, explains that not all patients get INNOVATION the role of HPV in head and neck cancers By Laurie Wertich cftSp#23vky.indd 39 2/3/14 11:16 PM