This is no longer an old foggies cancer. For the last decade while tobacco use has declined, OC has increased and that increase is now attributed to mainly HPV. As I have noted in the past year to 2 years we have started to see a new "type" if you will of patient who usually has a Primary in the tongue but is young, non smoking and HPV-. While HPV has been found to be the cause in appx 70% of all new Oropharyneal Primaries (BOT and Tonsils) it has not been associated to my knowledge with a tongue Primary. When I asked my RO, Dr Trotti, at Moffitt if he has seen similar patients he responded yes and when I asked him what he thought might be the new cause he said he didn't know but added "maybe a new strain of HPV or another virus."

I was one of the first at this site to present myself as questioning what caused my cancer since I didn't fit the "mold" and it was actually through another poster here that I was lead to the HPV test. Previously I had met with a lot of resistance in me asking why as I was most always met with "what difference does it make, you still have the cancer and we have to treat it the same way." I found that statement particularly frustrating especially coming from the medical field where one would think they would as curious as I was. I also met a lot of resistance from the posters on this site since probably 90% were tobacco users and the other 9% I guess didn't care.

JM2C's

David

Age 58 at Dx, HPV16+ SCC, Stage IV BOT+2 nodes, non smoker, casual drinker, exercise nut, Cisplatin x 3 & concurrent IMRT x 35,(70 Gy), no surgery, no Peg, Tx at Moffitt over Aug 06. Jun 07, back to riding my bike 100 miles a wk. Now doing 12 Spin classes and 60 outdoor miles per wk. Nov 13 completed Hilly Century ride for Cancer, 104 miles, 1st Place in my age group. Apr 2014 & 15, Spun for 9 straight hrs to raise $$ for YMCA's Livestrong Program. Certified Spin Instructor Jun 2014.