What is Human Papillomavirus (HPV)?

• HPV is a sexually transmitted infection that can infect the oropharynx (tonsils and back of throat), anus, and genitals.
• There are many types of HPV. HPV can cause cancer, warts or have no effect.
• HPV is very common in the U.S. Over 20 million Americans have some type of genital or oral HPV infection.
• In some people, oral HPV infection leads to HPV-OSCC (HPV-positive oropharyngeal squamous cell cancer) after many years.

What causes oropharyngeal cancer?

• HPV now causes most oropharyngeal cancers in the U.S.
• It is recommended that oropharyngeal tumors be tested for HPV.
• Smoking and alcohol use can also cause oropharyngeal cancer.

How did I get an oral HPV infection?

• HPV is transmitted to your mouth by oral sex. It may also be possible to get oral HPV by other ways.
• Performing oral sex and having many oral sex partners can increase your chances of oral HPV infection.
• Having an oral HPV infection does not mean your partner was/is unfaithful and does not suggest promiscuity.
• Many people with HPV-OSCC have only had a few oral sex partners in their life.

A flowchart of Risks of Oral HPV for Men and Women. See a larger version. 

Who has oral HPV infection?

• Many people will likely be exposed to oral HPV in their life.
• Around 10% of men and 3.6% of women in the U.S. have HPV in their mouths and HPV infection is more commonly found with older age.
• Most people clear the infections on their own within a year or two, but in some people HPV infection persists.

Can I transmit oral HPV infection to others?

Family and Friends:

• Oral HPV is not casually transmitted by sharing drinks or kissing on the cheek.
• We do not know if open mouth kissing can transmit HPV.

Partners of people with HPV-OSCC:

• You have already likely shared whatever infections you have.
• You do not need to change your sexual behavior.
• Female partners should have regular cervical Pap screening.

New sexual partners in the future:

• Many patients with HPV-OSCC no longer have HPV detectable in their mouth after treatment, while others do.
• With new partners, discuss protection methods (e.g. condoms and barrier protection).

When did I get this infection?

• We do not know the time from first oral HPV infection to cancer but it takes many years.
• We know that some people have infection 15 years or more before cancer.

What does having HPV in my tumor mean?

• Oropharyngeal cancer patients with HPV in their tumor live longer, on average, than people without HPV (i.e. HPV-positive tumors usually respond well to therapy).
• However, patients who currently smoke tobacco or have smoked for a long time in the past do not live as long as patients who never smoked. Patients who are current smokers should consider quitting.

Will the HPV vaccine help me?

• The HPV vaccine prevents people from getting new HPV infections.
• The vaccine will not help you clear an infection you already have.
• The vaccine is recommended for people ages 9 to 26 years old.

Will my spouse/partner also get Oropharyngeal Cancer?

• The risk of HPV-OSCC (HPV-positive oropharyngeal squamous cell cancer) may be slightly higher among spouses of HPV-OSCC but this cancer remains rare among spouses.
• There are no recommended screening tests for HPV-OSCC in clinical care. There are available research studies to explore possible screening tests. Find more information on the MOUTH Study.

**These questions and answers are modified from Fakhry C, D’Souza G. Discussing the diagnosis of HPV-OSCC: Common Questions and Answers, Oral Oncol (2013), with permission from Elsevier