Has anyone heard or read anthing about HPV related cancers being treated in a very differnt way than other cancers? My oncologist spoke of some medical news about treating those cancers that may have that viral link - differently. Anyone reading New England Medical that can keep us informed?? Any info on this topic would be appreciated. Tom

Have constant contact with docs involved in this, and while there are many differences regarding etiology, demographics of who gets it etc., cancer is still the same and requires the same protocols. They are not even tracking these things national properly yet let alone changing treatment protocols.

What is HPV, educate me.
Darrell

HPV is human papilloma virus. There have been beliefs in the medical community that there is a strong link between particular strains of the virus and squamous cell carcinoma, both in oral cancers and cervical cancer. There is some discussion elsewhere on the OCF site.

Ed

The connection is now well documented and published in peer reviewed literature, many of the articles are available on the main web site or you can Google Maura Gillison MD at Johs Hopkins to find a list of her work that covers the connections and sexual transmission of the versions of the HPV virus that has the ability to produce malignancies.. ( 16, 18, 33 and maybe 35 in head and neck cancers) There are over 100 varients of the virus, some only produce benign warts (papillomas).

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

I'm currently being treated at Mass General Hosp (MGH) for SCC HNC. They sent my biopsy for HPV testing and I'm still waiting for results. Not sure if they do this with all patients and not, or if they are working with dana-farber (some of my team is associated there), or if they just felt it was warrented in my case...but the test was ordered proceedurally it seemed.

dave

Hello. My husband, who has SCC at the base of the tongue, just returned (2nd week of Feb).from MD Anderson for an assessment/evaluation after having been treated in Canada. He asked to have his pathology slides tested at MDAnderson & was advised that he is HPV positive. We are looking into the Phase I trial at Johns Hopkins, but he will likely not participate.

The part of this that interested me was the possibility of very different treatment regimes for h/n cancers that link to HPV. Perhaps a different 'family' of chemo drugs that might prove more effective against HPV linked tumors. Thanks to all for the replies so far. Be strong. Tom