Sensitivity and specificity of oral HPV detection for HPV-positive head and neck cancer

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a sexually transmitted infection that causes most oropharyngeal cancer cases in the United States [1,2]. While there are over 100 types of HPV, only 13 are considered carcinogenic, most notably HPV16 [3]. The proportion of oropharyngeal cancers in the U.S. that are caused by HPV has increased from approximately  20% in 1990 to more than 70%, and the incidence of HPV-related oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (HPV-OPSCC) has increased 225% over the past 20 years [2].

Source: Oral Oncology - December 22, 2017 Category: Cancer & Oncology Authors: Brooke J. Gipson, Hilary A. Robbins, Carole Fakhry, Gypsyamber D'Souza Source Type: research