Dr. Gillison told us that to her knowledge, Hopkins is the only hospital testing every oral cancer patient for HPV, and that is because of the research program there on HPV+ HNC. She did say that some other CCCs (Dana-Farber was mentioned) also have programs and test some patients.

Incidentally, she also told us that 70% of the tumors they have tested are + for HPV; some of these people are also smokers so there can be synergy here.

Brian is correct that treatment protocols are still the same for HPV+ and HPV- HNC. We are a long way from having a targeted therapy although this is the ultimate, long-range goal. There is a clinical trial at Hopkins for a therapeutic HPV vaccine -- only in Phase 1 so years away from clinical use even if effective -- and it is being tested on patients with cervical and HNC.

HPV has also been found in association with some breast and prostate cancers. It is a very ubiquitous virus.

Gail