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HPV and Oral Cancer


Human Papilloma Virus is the fastest growing cause of oropharyngeal cancers. In early stages, warning signs and symptoms can be so subtle that most people are unaware of them. Request an Oral Health Screening for you and the people you care about.

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Regular Oral Screenings Could Save Your Life

HPV and Oral Cancer

Human Papilloma Virus is the fastest growing cause of oropharyngeal cancers. In early stages, warning signs and symptoms can be so subtle that most people are unaware of them.

What is Oral Cancer?

Often generally referred to "oral cancer", oral and oropharyngeal cancers are any cancer that forms in the mouth, lips, cheeks, gums, tongue, hard palate, tonsils and throat.

Stealthy & Deadly

In many cases, oral or oropharyngeal cancers are not diagnosed until they present themselves in an advanced stage, or have metastasized to another part of the body such as the lymph nodes of the neck. In fact, the 5-year survival rate is just over 50%.

Early Detection

If discovered early, the 5-year survival rate increases to over 80%. This year, nearly 54,000 people will be diagnosed with oral or oropharyngeal cancers in USA. Early detection is the key.

Advanced Oral Screening

The VELscope®️ Vx scope is used by the practitioner to emit specific wavelengths of blue-spectrum light into a patient's mouth and upper throat. In many cases, they can identify structural and/or chemical abnormalities that would have gone unnoticed by the naked eye.

Head & Neck Exam

An oral cancer screening is precautionary, not diagnostic. It's imperative to keep up with dental and dental hygiene appointments, especially if you have risk factors for developing oral cancer.

ORAL/PHARYNGEAL CANCER

KNOW THE RISK FACTORS

The Primary Risk Factors that can be Mitigated are:

  • The Human Papilloma Virus
    (HPV)
  • Tobacco and/or
    Alcohol Use
  • Other
    Risk Factors
    • Particularly HPV16
    • The primary cause of oral cancer is caused by a virus, the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV). The same virus that causes 94% of cervical cancers.
    • Studies have recommended that women with a positive Pap smear should get a thorough Oral Health Examination1
    • There are nearly 200 strains of HPV (Human Papilloma Virus) and it is the most commonly sexually transmitted virus in the United States. Approximately 80M Americans currently have an HPV infection and about 14M will be diagnosed this year alone. 
    • HPV is transmitted by skin-to-skin contact through both vaginal and oral sex. It affects both males and females. Recent studies show that the virus can be transmitted through open mouth kissing. 
    • Almost all infections occur with sexually active people in their teens and early 20’s. 
    • 99% of HPV infections resolve harmlessly. However, HPV16 has been strongly correlated with oropharyngeal cancer (the base of the tongue, the back of the throat, and the tonsils). 
    • Young people that have never used tobacco are being diagnosed with oral/oropharyngeal cancers due to HPV16. 
    • Those infected with HPV16 is the fastest growing segment of population that is diagnosed with oral/oropharyngeal cancers. 
    • The virus is insidious and can lay dormant for decades before potentially causing oropharyngeal cancer. 
    • Unfortunately, in early stages, the pre-cancerous warning signs and symptoms can be so subtle that most people are unaware of them. 
    Once an oropharyngeal cancer has developed, the signs and symptoms can include: 
    • Persistent coughing. 
    • Difficulty swallowing. 
    • Hoarseness or sore throat that does not resolve within a few weeks. 
    • A painless, firm and fixated lump in the neck region which has been present for two weeks or more. 
    • A persistent ear ache on one side.
    SIGNS & SYMPTOMS
    • Sores or ulcers that do not heal within 14 days.
    • Red, white, or black discolorations of the soft tissues of the mouth. 
    • A growth of tissue raised above the tissue that surrounds it. 
    • Tissue that bleeds easily when touched. 
    • A lump, hard spot or noticeable thickening of tissue. 
    • A sore under a denture, which does not heal even after adjustment.
    • Difficulty swallowing or the sensation that something is caught in the back of the throat.
    • Numbness of the lips or tissues inside the mouth.
    • A painless, firm, fixated lump felt on the outside of the neck, which has been there for at least two weeks.
    • Persistent coughing. 
    • Difficulty swallowing.
    • Hoarseness or sore throat that does not resolve within a few weeks. 
    • A painless, firm and fixated lump in the neck region which has been present for two weeks or more. 
    • A persistent ear ache on one side.
    • Cigarettes, cigars, vaping liquids, chews, snuff - all forms of tobacco use have been linked to cancers of the mouth and throat
    • Excessive alcohol use - defined as 14 or more drinks weekly for males and 7 or more drinks weekly for females. 
    • Those who use tobacco and drink alcohol have a 15 times greater risk of developing some form of oral cancer
    If you or a loved one experience any of these symptoms. Schedule an oral cancer screening. It is fast, painless and potentially life saving.
    Early Detection is Key
    Sun Exposure
    Prolonged exposure to the sun, without using sun protection, has been linked to cancer in the lip region. Although cancer can occur on any part of the lip, it most often appears on the lower lip.
    Signs and symptoms can include:
  • Sores or ulcers that do not heal within 14 days. 
  • A flat or slightly-raised whitish discoloration on the lip. 
  • Tingling, pain or numbness of the lips or the skin around the mouth.
    • Age 
    Oral and oropharyngeal cancers are more commonly diagnosed in patients 55 years or older, as these cancers can take many years to develop. However, oropharyngeal cancers linked to an HPV infection are often diagnosed in younger people. To be safe, everyone should be regularly screened for oral cancer, regardless of age. 

    Gender
    Males are diagnosed with oral cavity and oropharyngeal cancers 2-to-1 over females. According to Cancer.org, a contributing factor to the variance in cases among men and women may be because men are more likely to use and consume higher amounts of tobacco and/or alcohol. There are also more cases of HPV-related oropharyngeal cancers diagnosed among men. 

    Ethnicity
    In the USA, the black ethnic population is diagnosed with oral cancer 2-to-1 over the white ethnic population. In addition, the black population also has only a 33% 5-year survival rate, compared to a 57% survival rate for the white population. 

    Diet
    Poor nutrition, particularly diets low in fruits and vegetables, have been linked to increased risk of oral and oropharyngeal cancers.

    Chewing betel quid, which is made up of areca nut (betel nut), spices, lime, and other ingredients, or chewing gutka, which is betel quid and tobacco combined, have been linked to increased risk of mouth cancer. Beta quid and gutka are commonly found in Southeast and South Asia. 

    Genetic predisposition
    People with syndromes caused by inherited defects (mutations) in certain genes have a very high risk of mouth and middle throat cancer. For example, people with Fanconi Anemia or Dyskeratosis Congenita have an increased risk developing mouth and throat cancers.

Research indicates that approximately 70 percent of cases of

 oropharynx cancer is caused by HPV16

~ mountsinai.org

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