OK, Ok -- we will let this lie dormant if you think it is best -- two things however, the vaccine I refer to is NOT the about-to-be released HPV-16 vaccine for prophylaxis of cervical cancer, but a HNCSSC-specific DNA vaccine developed over last 8 years at Hopkins and yes, it will be YEARS before it may make it into the treatment for HNC, if ever. It is just entering clinical trials.

To clarify, the 59% that Gillison's 2000 paper references was the difference she and her co-authors observed when comparing age/stage etc. matched HNCSSC cases that were HPV+ or HPV- , followed over a number of years.

Finally, we have never gotten the impression from any of the oncologists at Hopkins that BOT/tonsil cancer is worse than any other oral cancer -- but all have said that HPV+ is a favorable prognostic factor and that most HPV+ cancers do present in tonsil/BOT. (But not all tonsil/BOT cancers are HPV+!)

And that is that -- if people don't want to explore this subject, that's OK with me. There's lots more to talk about on the forum!

Gail