Just a bit of clarification on Christine's post which is mostly correct. The transfer of the virus requires a pretty robust skin to skin contact. There is no evidence that you can get it from inanimate objects like doorknobs, as it cannot live outside of a cell for very long. Skin to skin transfer of HPV is common especially in very young children who get non-cancer causing varieties very early in life from other kids. The 9 known cancer causing types (there are an additional 6 that are suspicious for causing cancer) are not transferred that easily, and in oropharyngeal cancers we are really only worried about one in particular number 16, which is covered by the vaccine.

The vast majority of sexually active Americans will have HPV at some point in their lifetimes, the good news is that in 99% of them their immune system will recognize it as a threat, and in less than two years clear the infection and leave a protective antibody behind. I am part of the lucky 1% that will get a cancer from it.

Michelle Ann - oncologists are definitely not virologists or even close to epidemiologists, who understand this the best. So most of us do not get good HPV information from the oncology world, but that is starting to change as this becomes a more common cause of our disease. The oncology treatment world can be kinda cavalier about learning something new when at this point in time it does not create changes in the treatment protocols. HPV+ or not, people currently get the same stuff. But in the next few years that may be changing as the HPV+ people enjoy about a 30% survival advantage, and perhaps some of the radiation or chemo can be dialed back with the same clinical end results. Of course before anyone does that, the FDA has to approve a protocol and trials have to be done.