Published Sep 16, 2020

Majority of Throat Cancer Diagnoses Are Caused by HPV – Here’s What You Need to Know

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HPV Causes Most Throat Cancers

HPV, the most common sexually transmitted infection in the U.S., causes most throat cancers.
Non-HPV throat cancers are declining; HPV-related throat cancers are on the rise.
Avoid HPV, smoking and excessive drinking to lower your risk for throat cancer.

Over the last decade, throat cancer has made its way into national headlines as celebrities including Bruce Dickinson, Dave Mustaine, Michael Douglas, Eddie Van Halen, and Val Kilmer have spoken out about their diagnoses. But it's not just because of these high-profile cases that you might have heard more about throat cancer in the last decade than ever before. These days, you're far more likely to know someone who has the condition than you were several decades ago. That's because of the strong connection between throat cancer and the human papillomavirus (HPV) the most common sexually transmitted infection in the United States. HPV may cause more than 90 percent of throat cancers.

"From the 1980s to the 2010s, the rate of HPV-related head and neck cancers has gone up by 300 percent," Ted Teknos, MD, tells SurvivorNet. Teknos, a head and neck cancer specialist, is President and Scientific Director of University Hospitals Seidman Cancer Center in Cleveland, OH.

Here's what you should know about the causes, signs and symptoms, and treatment for throat cancer.

What Causes Throat Cancer

You’ve heard this about other cancers, and it’s true for throat cancer, too: doctors don't know for sure what causes the changes in your cells that lead to throat cancer. But, they do know several factors that can increase your risk for the condition. They include:

Tobacco use, including cigarettes and chewing tobacco
Heavy drinking
Too few fruits and vegetables in your diet
Acid reflux disease

But, the overwhelming majority of throat cancers develop after infection with a cancer-causing strain of HPV. In fact, while non-HPV throat cancers are declining, HPV-related cases are on the rise.

Dr. Jessica Geiger Explains Link Between HPV and Throat Cancer

"HPV 16 has been shown to cause 92 percent of head and neck cancers," Teknos says. "It's a sexually transmitted disease. And it's an epidemic in the United States.

Most HPV infections resolve on their own. The immune system clears it out as it does many other infections. But, in some cases, the infection sticks around and over time leads to cancer in the area where the infection began the mouth, throat, genitals or anus.

"It can take 15 to 20 years for HPV to develop from a viral infection into a tumor," Allen Ho, MD, a head and neck cancer specialist at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, tells SurvivorNet.

Dr. Allen Ho discusses how HPV can sometimes lead to throat cancer.

It's unclear whether HPV alone is enough to trigger the changes in your cells that lead to throat cancer or whether this happens in combination with other risk factors like smoking. Of course, some people who develop throat cancer have no known risk factors for the condition. Genetics can play a role in this cancer, too.

Who Gets Throat Cancer

You can get throat cancer at any age. Both women and men of any ethnicity get it. But, it's no coincidence that the famous cases you've seen in the news have been men. Men are four times more likely to get throat cancer than women and HPV-related cases are no exception.

"The average person with HPV-related throat cancer tends to be a male in his 40s or 50s, who was never a smoker or just a very light tobacco user," Jessica Geiger, MD, a head and neck cancer specialist at Cleveland Clinic, tells SurvivorNet.

Risk for the condition increases with age. While HPV-related throat cancers may often occur in younger men, most throat cancers develop after age 65. The condition is more common among African Americans and whites than Asians and Latinos.

Signs and Symptoms of Throat Cancer

There's no annual screening for throat cancer like there is for other more common cancers. Instead, doctors usually find throat cancers when a patient comes in with symptoms that may point to it. Some symptoms include:

A cough
Changes in your voice
Difficulty swallowing
Ear pain
A lump or sore that doesn’t heal
A sore throat
Weight loss

Treatment for Throat Cancer

Depending on the exact location and the stage of the cancer, doctors use one or a combination of approaches to treat it.

Radiation from x-ray beam, proton beams, or radioactive seeds implanted in your body near the tumor can destroy cancer cells. In early stage cancers, this might be the only treatment necessary. At more advanced stages, doctors might use this in combination with other strategies.

Surgery to remove the cancer from the throat may also be an option. The risks of this surgery vary depending on the location of the cancer.

For more advanced or recurrent throat cancers, doctors may recommend chemotherapy with or without targeted therapy.

Manage Your Risk

You can lower your risk for throat cancer by avoiding HPV. If you are under the age of 26 or the parent to someone under the age of 26, you can prevent cancer later by getting an HPV vaccine now. If you are over 26, it's likely too late to get an HPV vaccine. But, safe sex which includes limiting sexual partners and always using a condom or dental dam can help you avoid this sexually transmitted infection.

You can also lower your risk for throat cancer when you take these actions:

Quit smoking or don't start
Eat a healthy diet that's rich in fruits and vegetables
Avoid alcohol or drink only in moderation

If you or your partner have a history of HPV or you have other risk factors for throat cancer, talk to your doctor about your individual risk and other ways you can stay healthy.

Learn more about SurvivorNet's rigorous medical review process.

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