Because he knows I am interested in HPV cancers, Brian sent me an abstract of an article on finding HPV-18 associated with some breast cancers in Australian women -- the authors felt the women may have transferred the virus from their genital region to their breasts via their own hands. So sex per se is not needed. These are ubiquitous viruses, and while most people appear to be able to "shed" them -- my gynecologist said that a percentage of women who had HPV+ pre-cancerous lesions, when they went to have cryosurgery (or similar) to remove the lesions, the doctors found the lesions had disappeared -- not all people's immune systems can. Also there can be a long lag time between infection and development of any cancer -- Dr. Gillison told us 15-20 years is not impossible, which really complicates things. Not worth worrying about the when and who...

Gillison has done a study which relates HPV+ or HPV- HNC to various "life-style" factors, which includes sexual practices but also, things like drinking, oral hygiene, etc. which also seem to enter into the equation. That paper is in preparation.

Barry has decided to enter a trial this spring for a new therapeutic HPV-16 vaccine -- that is, one to be given to those who already have HPV+ oral cancer (and have been treated conventionally). This is just a stage 1 trial looking at response to dose, so obviously it is going to be many years before this will be available clinically, if it is found to work and not cause serious problems. (A stage 1 trial started earlier with same vaccine, on cervical cancer patients, found no side effects but too soon for data on effectiveness).

Hopefully the future, for many HNC patients, will be brighter...

Gail