HPV-Associated Head and Neck (Oral Cavity and Oropharyngeal) Cancers

It is estimated that more than 1,700 new cases of HPV-associated head and neck cancers are diagnosed in women and nearly 5,700 are diagnosed in men each year in the United States. These numbers are based on cancers in specific areas of the head and neck (oral cavity and oropharynx) and do not include cancers in all areas of the head and neck. Black people get these cancers more often than people of other races and ethnicities. Non-Hispanics and men get these cancers more often than Hispanics and women.

HPV-associated head and neck cancer rates by race and ethnicity, United States, 1998–2003

The graph above shows age-adjusted incidence rates for HPV-associated head and neck cancers in the United States during 1998–2003. The rates shown are the number of men or women who were diagnosed with an HPV-associated head and neck cancer for every 100,000 men or women.

• Among whites, about 1.3 women and 5.1 men per 100,000 were diagnosed with HPV-associated head and neck cancer.
• Among blacks, about 1.5 women and 6.8 men per 100,000 were diagnosed with HPV-associated head and neck cancer.
• Among Asian/Pacific Islanders, about 0.5 women and 1.7 men per 100,000 were diagnosed with HPV-associated head and neck cancer.
• Among Hispanics, about 0.7 women and 3.6 men per 100,000 were diagnosed with HPV-associated head and neck cancer.
• Among non-Hispanics, about 1.4 women and 5.3 men per 100,000 were diagnosed with HPV-associated head and neck cancer.

This graph was adapted from Ryerson AB, Peters ES, Coughlin SS, Chen VW, Gillison ML, Reichman ME, Wu X, Chaturvedi AK, Kawaoka K. Burden of potentially human papillomavirus-associated cancers of the oropharynx and oral cavity in the US, 1998–2003. Cancer 2008;113(S10):2901–2909.

These numbers are based on a large study that covered 83% of the U.S. population during 1998–2003, and may under-represent the actual number of cancers diagnosed during this time period. Also, this study used cancer registry data to estimate the amount of potentially HPV-associated cancer in the United States by examining cancer in parts of the body and cancer cell types that are more likely to be caused by HPV. Cancer registries do not collect data on the presence or absence of HPV in cancer tissue at the time of diagnosis. Cancers of the head and neck are usually caused by tobacco and alcohol, but recent studies show that about 25% of mouth and 35% of throat cancers are caused by HPV.