Chapter 7: Human Papillomavirus and Cancer of the Upper Aerodigestive Tract

Abstract

We discuss current evidence of the role of human papillomavirus (HPV) in some cancers of the upper aerodigestive tract, including the oral cavity, the pharynx, and the larynx. Cancers of the oral cavity and the pharynx are associated mainly with tobacco and alcohol exposure, but there is evidence from case series, from case–control studies, and from cohort studies that HPV plays a role in a fraction of these cancers, particularly cancer in the oropharynx and tonsil. The HPV type most commonly associated with cancers in these locations is HPV 16. Laboratory evidence indicates that the virus is integrated and that HPV oncogenes are transcriptionally active in these tumors. Many aspects of the association remain to be investigated, including the epidemiology and natural history of HPV infection in the mouth, the role of cofactors, and the potential use of HPV testing and vaccines in the prevention of these tumors. An analogous role for the virus at other anatomic sites in the upper aerodigestive tract such as the larynx is less clear. The relationship between HPV infection and laryngeal cancer is of particular interest, given that recurrent respiratory papillomatosis is clearly caused by benign proliferative growths induced by HPV 6 or 11 infection of the laryngeal epithelium. Although HPV genomic DNA has been detected in a proportion of laryngeal cancers and despite the many efforts made during the last 15 years, there is not yet compelling evidence that HPV plays a substantial role in laryngeal cancer.