#79108 08-21-2008 12:58 PM | Joined: Jan 2007 Posts: 27 Contributing Member (25+ posts) | OP  Contributing Member (25+ posts)
Joined: Jan 2007 Posts: 27 | My mother's pap smear came back negative for the major high-risk strains of HPV. Does it make sense to do the oral test, or to test the tumor removed during surgery for HPV? In other words, is it possible that the pap smear would be negative, yet the HPV virus could still be found in the mouth or tissues of the mouth? Thanks | | | | | Joined: Jul 2008 Posts: 56 Supporting Member (50+ posts) | | Supporting Member (50+ posts)
Joined: Jul 2008 Posts: 56 | Actually, now that I think of it, she could. I've known several people in my life that have had an HPV+ diagnosis during routine testing, and eventually, they cleared the virus and do not test positive. There is some debate about weather the immune system clears it for good, or not, but there's enough anecdotal evidence to suggest that the virus lies dormant. It would be best to get the tumor tested.
Last edited by MSG; 08-21-2008 04:54 PM.
| | | | | Joined: Sep 2006 Posts: 8,311 Senior Patient Advocate Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) | | Senior Patient Advocate Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Joined: Sep 2006 Posts: 8,311 | Whether or not you have the HPV virus present in one cavity doesn't mean it is or it's not present anywhere else. Whether or not it's present doesn't mean it will cause cancer either. There is no Oral test for HPV that I am aware of. The actual cancer cells from a biopsy must be sent to one of the few certified HPV testing labs like Johns Hopkins.
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.
| | | | | Joined: Mar 2002 Posts: 4,918 Likes: 67 OCF Founder Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) | | OCF Founder Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Joined: Mar 2002 Posts: 4,918 Likes: 67 | People can be HPV + one month and negative the next. Yes you could develop a positive area remote from other common areas to have HPV. There is only one FDA approved test by Digene for HPV, and right now it is only applicable to the cervix. That is collected by brush cytology. In the mouth you would have to look at the removed tissue itself.
Brian, stage 4 oral cancer survivor. OCF Founder and Director. The first responsibility of a leader is to define reality. The last is to say thank you. In between, the leader is a servant.
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