Human Papillomavirus as a Risk Factor for Oropharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Most human papillomavirus (HPV) infections are low risk; some are even asymptomatic, whilst others cause benign papillomas, although these papillomas can persist over time and can be challenging to limit in immunocompromised individuals. For the past 20 years or so, the incidence of a subset of head and neck cancers (HNCs), oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC), primarily in the palatine and lingual tonsils, has been increasing in the UK and across the world. Whilst oral HPV is, in itself, a significant risk factor for HNC, there are other lifestyle factors that are associated with oral HPV infections and may also influence the persistence and oncogenic potential of the virus, thereby mediating the development of HPV-positive OPSCC. The most significant risk factor for HPV-mediated OPSCC is gender. The HPV vaccination programme for adolescent girls to reduce the incidence of cervical cancer was introduced across the world from 2007 and into the UK in 2008.