Actually, and unfortionately, the recurrence rate for SCCHN is quite high. Most of which is seen in smoking, and alcohol related cancer. The overall 5 year survival rate hasn't changed much in the past few decades, and is still under 50 percent, even lower at certain sites. The first two year's is when the majority of recurrences happen, which I may recall to be is in the 40's range, with more occurring in the first year, but seems to level off after that. HPV related cancers have a lower recurrence rate, at 15 percent. I recently read in one of the Journals that an increase in HPV recurrences are being seen after 5 years, which is different from tobacco, and alcohol related, which is seen to level off after the 2nd year, so they are suggesting no de-esculation of treatment outside of clinical trials.

All that doesn't mean much since many other factors are involved, and each person is different, so is treatment, age, type of CCC.........

Hi Paul,

Do you have any links to trials or published peer reviews showing the prognosis of HNC smoking/drinking vs p-16+ cancer? I've not been able to find anything with a 3 arm trial as yet.

don

Don, there is tons of info about HPV+ and all kinds of other things including what you were asking about in your post right on the main OCF pages.

At this time there is still so much to learn about HPV. OCF has been involved with many research studies about HPV. Take a look at what is put on the main OCF site including news stories. Im sure you will find what you are looking for there.

Main OCF site

I may Don, but no specific knowledge of numbers off hand. I come across so much stuff daily, hopefully I saved some or can find it in my computer history or references I have. There is not much comparison with HPV in the past, smoking/drinking vs non smoking/non drinking yes. Future studies or clinical trials have to include HPV status, I believe, and heard there a tissue bank where many samples are going to be banked for future reference.

I'm glad ChristineB posted the OCF link. I forget they exist. Actually, and sadly, I never read any of them, and probably will now, and would be helpful.

There is a recent report for HPV, I'll post on a separate link.

There is a link on donfoo's beat down page for a study done in 2010 with percentages and lots of info don't know if I can link it here so I won't I will private message it to you. Ken

Does it contain the same info he was inquiring about..Prognosis for smoking/drinking vs HPV 16 positive?

On the OCF new there are many articles about HPV and all kinds of studies. Here is one example of an article that I think would be helpful.

HPV better survival

There you go Don, the link ChristineB posted says HPV negative patients who didn't have the virus were 3x (2.9) more likely to die than those with the virus.

I'm going to toss my story into this thread. I'm a non-smoker, non-drinker, HPV negative patient with no recurrence 4-1/2 years out from end of treatment. Of course, I don't fit any of the statistical models.

Yes, we do go to Vandy & they are wonderful. Our ENT surgeon, who we will be seeing in April for first endoscope post treatment. She was the first doctor we saw there & she sent us to the other doc since she said their protocol was to try chemo/radiation before doing any kind of surgery (other than oral surgery for teeth removal)
Danny did 16 chemo treatments of Taxol & Carpolatin followed by 35 radiations. We are now 4 weeks post treatment & things are looking good. We love our treatment center :-)