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Young Adults See Rise in Head and Neck Cancer Due to HPV
POSTED BY: Ashley White May 8, 2012
When a parent hears HPV, or the human papillomavirus, it is most often associated with teenage girls, the Gardasil vaccine and cervical cancer. A recent study has brought a new issue to light for parents in regards to HPV though: head and neck cancer.
Dr. Jeffrey Lehman, otolaryngologist with the Florida Hospital Cancer Institute, sees some interesting implications for this new information. He sheds some light on what this link means for your teen’s health below:
The study shows an estimated 7 percent of American teens and adults carry HPV in their mouths. Could this finally explain the rise in head and neck cancers over that last 25 years?
What was a typical diagnosis in a 50- to-60-year-old tobacco user 25 years ago is now popping up in the younger population, from teens to 30s with no history of smoking. This increase had been largely unexplained for some time. What we do understand is that the strain of HPV of the mouth that is linked to squamous cell cancer in the tonsils is the same strain of HPV associated with cervical cancer; the p16 subtype. This increase is alarming, and with this connection now being studied, conversation around the vaccine like Gardasil for both girls and boys should continue. Parents should talk to their primary care physician or pediatrician about the vaccine.
The Journal of Clinical Oncology is going as far to say that if the present trends continue, HPV will cause more cases of oral cancers than cervical cancer by 2020, as the study found more than 70% of new cases of oral cancers are linked HPV infection, putting it ahead of tobacco use. Talk about treatment for head and neck cancer.
As with any type of cancer, early detection is key. The good news is not only do head and neck cancers typically grow slowly, they also respond well to radiation and chemotherapy. Some lumps can even be removed in the doctor’s office. Another amazing new treatment option is trans-oral robotic surgery, available at only Florida Hospital Cancer Institute in this area at this time and a few centers across the country. This surgery technique is saving many patients from extensive surgery and recovery by removing the tumor without even one incision.
Head and neck cancer should be taken seriously though as it can travel into the lymph nodes and become a larger problem. You should note any long period of sore throat, as well as any noticeable tonsil enlargement or lumps in the neck to your doctor.
There is no proof yet that the vaccine protects against oral cancer, but should I get my child vaccinated just to be safe?
Years of research still need to be done to prove protection, but the data adds up and the line of thought for the vaccine makes sense here. It is definitely a measure that could help reduce the risk of head and neck cancers for both males and females. Again, this is a conversation to have with your physician to decide what is best for your child. What many are also wondering now is if this is the result of an increase in oral sex. That is an important conversation to have with your teen as well.
Dr. Jeffrey Lehman, otolaryngologist with the Florida Hospital Cancer Institute, sees some interesting implications for this new information. He sheds some light on what this link means for your teen’s health below:
The study shows an estimated 7 percent of American teens and adults carry HPV in their mouths. Could this finally explain the rise in head and neck cancers over that last 25 years?
What was a typical diagnosis in a 50- to-60-year-old tobacco user 25 years ago is now popping up in the younger population, from teens to 30s with no history of smoking. This increase had been largely unexplained for some time. What we do understand is that the strain of HPV of the mouth that is linked to squamous cell cancer in the tonsils is the same strain of HPV associated with cervical cancer; the p16 subtype. This increase is alarming, and with this connection now being studied, conversation around the vaccine like Gardasil for both girls and boys should continue. Parents should talk to their primary care physician or pediatrician about the vaccine.
The Journal of Clinical Oncology is going as far to say that if the present trends continue, HPV will cause more cases of oral cancers than cervical cancer by 2020, as the study found more than 70% of new cases of oral cancers are linked HPV infection, putting it ahead of tobacco use. Talk about treatment for head and neck cancer.
As with any type of cancer, early detection is key. The good news is not only do head and neck cancers typically grow slowly, they also respond well to radiation and chemotherapy. Some lumps can even be removed in the doctor’s office. Another amazing new treatment option is trans-oral robotic surgery, available at only Florida Hospital Cancer Institute in this area at this time and a few centers across the country. This surgery technique is saving many patients from extensive surgery and recovery by removing the tumor without even one incision.
Head and neck cancer should be taken seriously though as it can travel into the lymph nodes and become a larger problem. You should note any long period of sore throat, as well as any noticeable tonsil enlargement or lumps in the neck to your doctor.
There is no proof yet that the vaccine protects against oral cancer, but should I get my child vaccinated just to be safe?
Years of research still need to be done to prove protection, but the data adds up and the line of thought for the vaccine makes sense here. It is definitely a measure that could help reduce the risk of head and neck cancers for both males and females. Again, this is a conversation to have with your physician to decide what is best for your child. What many are also wondering now is if this is the result of an increase in oral sex. That is an important conversation to have with your teen as well.