Threatment Growing of Throat Cancer

Despite the active cancer prevention campaign, the incidence of throat cancer in the United States has not decreased in recent years. In fact, the statistics are even increasing in some areas, unlike the downward trend in the head and neck of other cancers that are usually associated with smoking and drinking alcohol.

We are investigating whether the virus infections of sexually transmitted human papillomavirus (HPV) could be the real cause. HPV is a virus that causes infections such as genital warts and most cervical cancers. Recently, researchers have found that HPV transmission through oral sex is a potential cause of throat cancer.

Initial findings highlight the importance of research to establish whether the recent HPV vaccine available is effective in males. This vaccine is considered that almost 100% effective in preventing infection of the cervix. Thus, the medical community and the vaccine industry are encouraged to consider their role in preventing oral cancer.
At present, the consumption of snuff and alcohol are classified as major risk factors for head and neck. According to the American Cancer Society, approximately 90% of patients with these diseases either smoking or chewing snuff, or have done in the past, and up to 80% of patients with oral cancer drink too much alcohol.

The newly published analysis of head and neck cancer trends in the U.S. showed that the decline in smoking has led to a decline in most head and neck cancers in the past two decades. However, the throat cancer remains the major exception to this trend. This is more specifically defined as cancer of the oropharynx, which includes the tonsils, tongue base and soft palate, side and back of the throat.

Although these cancers are rare, its incidence has remained stable overall, while the tongue cancer rates among young adults has increased. They conclude that this is probably due to HPV infections, which can be transmitted through oral sex.

In the past five years, 35% of patients with throat cancer at MD Anderson Cancer Center had no history of smoking and that nearly 90% of patients who had never smoked showed evidence of oral HPV infection.

The current policy in the U.S. is to recommend the HPV vaccine only for girls 11 to 12 years of age and for women up to age 26 who have not received yet. The researchers concluded that vaccinating women against HPV could only result in a missed opportunity to prevent throat cancers. However, in countries like Australia and Mexico, the HPV vaccine is offered even to men, although there is still no clinical evidence to show that HPV infections in men lead to throat cancer. Studies are underway to determine whether the vaccine can protect children against genital HPV infection.

"The HPV vaccine could be a very effective protection against cervical cancer, and there's a good chance that will reduce the incidence of other types of HPV-promote cancer as well," said Debbie Saslow, PhD, of the Company American Cancer Society. "But we have no data to confirm that, and not have any in the near future."