When you hear “HPV,” cervical cancer may be the first health concern that comes to mind.
But human papillomavirus (HPV) also has a close connection to certain cancers of the head and neck. In fact, HPV causes the majority of cancers that develop in the oropharynx, the area at the back of your throat that includes your tonsils and the base of your tongue.
At Greater Houston Radiation Oncology, we treat head and neck cancers with advanced radiation therapies tailored to each patient and each tumor. Understanding HPV’s role in these cancers can help you recognize your risks, know what symptoms deserve attention, and better understand your treatment options.
HPV is extremely common. Most sexually active people encounter the virus at some point in their lives, often without ever knowing it.
In most cases, your immune system clears the infection naturally, and it never causes a health problem. Sometimes, however, a high-risk strain of HPV persists in the body for years. Over time, the virus can cause changes in infected cells that eventually allow cancer to develop.
When this happens in the throat, HPV most often affects the tonsils or base of the tongue, causing what doctors call HPV-positive oropharyngeal cancer.
It’s important to put that risk in perspective: having HPV does not mean you’ll develop cancer. Most people with HPV never do.
Historically, doctors linked many head and neck cancers primarily to tobacco and heavy alcohol use. We now know that HPV is another major cause, particularly of cancers that develop in the oropharynx.
These cancers often affect a different patient population, including people who may never have considered themselves at risk for head or neck cancer. That’s one reason it’s important not to dismiss persistent throat or neck symptoms simply because you don’t smoke.
HPV-related oropharyngeal cancer may not cause obvious symptoms in its earliest stages.
When symptoms do develop, they may include:
These symptoms often have causes unrelated to cancer. But if something persists, changes, or simply doesn’t seem right, have it evaluated rather than waiting for it to disappear.
Doctors can screen for cervical HPV infection and precancerous cervical changes, but there’s currently no routine screening test for oral HPV infection or HPV-related oropharyngeal cancer in people without symptoms.
That makes awareness especially important.
HPV vaccination also offers powerful prevention. The vaccine protects against HPV types responsible for many HPV-related cancers and works best when given before exposure to the virus.
Yes. When doctors diagnose oropharyngeal cancer, they typically test the tumor to determine whether HPV played a role.
That information matters because HPV-positive and HPV-negative oropharyngeal cancers behave differently. HPV-positive cancers generally respond better to treatment and tend to have a more favorable outlook than similar cancers unrelated to HPV.
Our care team considers HPV status along with the tumor’s location, stage, your overall health, and other individual factors when developing your treatment plan.
Radiation therapy often plays an important role in treating cancers of the head and neck, either alone or in combination with other treatments.
At Greater Houston Radiation Oncology, our radiation oncology specialists create highly personalized treatment plans designed to target cancer as precisely as possible while protecting nearby healthy tissues and structures.
That precision is especially important in the head and neck, where swallowing, speaking, and other everyday functions involve many delicate structures located close together.
If you’ve received a diagnosis of HPV-related or another type of head and neck cancer, our team can help you understand your diagnosis and treatment options.
Call Greater Houston Radiation Oncology in Houston or Huntsville, Texas, or request an appointment online, and we’ll develop a personalized plan that considers not only your cancer, but also your long-term health and quality of life.
