CDC Says Oropharyngeal Cancer Most Common HPV-Related Cancer

A report published in Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report found that oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is now the most common HPV-associated cancer in the United States, taking the place of cervical cancer, which was the most common. 

Researchers at the analyzed data from population-based cancer registries that participate in the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Program of Cancer Registries and the National Cancer Institute’s Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results program from 1999 to 2015.  

A total of 30,115 new cases of HPV-associated cancers were reported in 1999 and 43,371 were reported in 2015. In 1999, cervical carcinoma (13,125 cases) was the most common HPV-associated cancer, with 3,750 more cases than oropharyngeal SCC. Researchers observed that cervical carcinoma incidence rates decreased 1.6% per year during that time period, while oropharyngeal SCC incidence rates increased 2.7% per year among men and 0.8% per year among women. In 2015, there were 11,788 reported cases of cervical carcinoma and 18,917 cases of oropharyngeal SCC, including 15,479 (82%) among men and 3,438 (18%) among women. 

“The decline in cervical cancer from 1999 to 2015 represents a continued trend since the 1950s as a result of cancer screening,” the researchers noted. 

A study assessed the survival impact of HPV-related esophageal cancer. 

An HPV test identifies cervical precancer earlier than the Pap test. 

Source: Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report