Hi Tim

I am not sure what grade of tumour you had but Erbitux plus radiation is a legitimate treatment for some types - particularly oro-pharyngeal.

There was a big trial (Bonner et al 2006 published in NEJM)of over 400 people that showed cetuximab was effective in advanced head and neck cancer (grade III-IV). The majority (63%)had oropharyngeal cancers. As we know that HPV tends to turn up in oropharyngeal cancer in about 70% of cases, this would suggest that Erbitux is effective in HPV+ve tumours.

There is no good evidence to suggest that HPV+ve tumours respond any differently to HPV-ve ones when Erbitux is used.

So you can relax, there is nothing here that should make you nervous.