HPV in Head and Neck Cancer

Question 1

List 5 risk factors of head and neck cancer:

Answer 1

1. Alcohol
2. Tobacco
3. Poor Oral Hygiene
4. HPV16
5. Age, gender, race

Question 2

What is the most common STD worldwide?

Answer 2

Human Papilloma Virus (HPV)

Question 3

What cancer does HPV mostly cause?

Answer 3

Cervical cancer

Question 4

What type of virus is HPV and what is the most common type?

Answer 4

HPV is a DNA virus
HPV16 in the most common type

Question 5

Which two types of cancer have equal association to HPV?

Answer 5

Oropharynx cancer and cervical cancer have equal association with HPV

Question 6

What is basaloid squamous cell carcinoma (BSCC)?

Answer 6

BSCC is an aggressive, high-grade variant of SCC which is uncommon in the oral cavity

Question 7

How is HPV tested for?

Answer 7

Test for antibodies - no routine blood test

Question 8

How is oropharynx cancer and oral HPV related?

Answer 8

Strongly associated with each other

Question 9

Why is it difficult to measure the extent of improved survival among HPV positive patients?

Answer 9

Due to therapeutic choice

Question 10

How are HPV-negative and HPV-positive H&N cancer patients identified?
Give 4 reasons

Answer 10

1. They are clinically distinct from each other
2. They are molecularly distinct for each other
3. They have different risk factor profiles
4. HPV-negative patients have a better prognosis