ari,

I get tired of our doctors deciding what is or is not important to us, the patient. It may not have made a difference in your treatment but it definitely may make a difference in how you view your chances of a recurrence since studies have concluded that HPV+ SCC responds better to Tx and therefore has a better chance that it won't recur. This helped me mentally and as far as I am concerned the mental aspect of cancer is 50% of our battle.

On another front that I have and will continue to fight for is the more SCC patients that are tested for HPV, the better it will be understood and that can only be a good thing for both HPV+ and HPV- SCC patients. For all the untested patients that would have tested positive for HPV, they will be lumped into the HPV- pool and will taint that pool's conclusions which could never be a good thing for HPV- patients with the current understanding of the differences between the 2 types of SCC.

I fought Moffitt 3 years ago to get tested and I had hoped by now HPV testing would have become standard especially for those that fit the current mold for HPV, which according to your Signature Line, you do.

David

Age 58 at Dx, HPV16+ SCC, Stage IV BOT+2 nodes, non smoker, casual drinker, exercise nut, Cisplatin x 3 & concurrent IMRT x 35,(70 Gy), no surgery, no Peg, Tx at Moffitt over Aug 06. Jun 07, back to riding my bike 100 miles a wk. Now doing 12 Spin classes and 60 outdoor miles per wk. Nov 13 completed Hilly Century ride for Cancer, 104 miles, 1st Place in my age group. Apr 2014 & 15, Spun for 9 straight hrs to raise $$ for YMCA's Livestrong Program. Certified Spin Instructor Jun 2014.