Summary from an international cancer seminar focused on human papillomavirus (HPV)-positive oropharynx cancer, convened by scientists at IARC and NCI
Aimée R. Kreimer, Anil K. Chaturvedi, Laia Alemany, Devasena Anantharaman, Freddie Bray, Mary Carrington, John Doorbar, Gypsyamber DʼSouza, Carole Fakhry, Robert L. Ferris, Maura L. Gillison, D. Neil Hayes, Allan Hildesheim, Shao Hui Huang, Luiz Paulo Kowalski, Krystle A. Lang Kuhs, James H. Lewis, Douglas R. Lowy, Hisham Mehanna, Andy Ness, Michael Pawlita, Maísa Pinheiro, John T. Schiller, Meredith S. Shiels, Joseph E. Tota, Lisa Mirabello, Saman Warnakulasuriya, Tim Waterboer, William H. Westra, Stephen Chanock, Paul Brennan
Abstract
Cancer of the oropharynx has attracted considerable attention in recent years given: (1) an increasing incidence in selected populations over the past three decades; (2) the discovery of human papillomavirus (HPV) infection as the driver of the increase, as opposed to the traditional risk factors such as tobacco (smoking and chewing) and alcohol; and (3) the promise of new prevention and treatment strategies. As a result of such developments, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) and the US National Cancer Institute (NCI), convened the fourth Cancer Seminar meeting in November 2018 to focus on this topic. This report summarizes the proceedings: a review of recent science on the descriptive epidemiology, etiology, biology, genetics, early detection, pathology and treatment of HPV-positive oropharyngeal cancer, and the formulation of key research questions to be addressed.