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HPV Case Study Essay

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Evidence for a causal involvement of HPV in the pathogenesis of OPSCC comes from epidemiologic and molecular studies. The earliest suggestion of a possible link between HPV and squamous cell carcinomas of the oral cavity (OSCC) was made by Syrjanen et al (1983) where the group observed that some of these tumours have morphological and immunohistochemical features indicative of HPV infection. 59 Subsequent studies have supported the predilection of the virus for oropharyngeal cancers. In two case series (1996 and 1997), 50% and 60% of tonsillar carcinomas were HPV positive, respectively, in comparison to 6% and 10% of tumours at other oral sites.60,61 Additionally, Gillison et al (2000) and Stransky et al (2011) confirmed that the only HNC subsite with a demonstrated carcinogenic role for HPV was the oropharynx.21,62 …show more content…

Nasman et al (2009) analysed the increased incidence of tonsillar cancer in the Stockholm area between 1970 and 2007. They showed that the percentages of tonsillar cancers that were HPV-positive was 23%, 29%, 57% and 79% during the 1970s, 1980s, 1990s and 2000–2007, respectively.63 Similarly, in the UK, Scache et al (2011) demonstrated an increase in the prevalence of HPV positivity in OPSCC 14% in the period 1998 to 2009 to 57% in the period between 1998 and 2009.64 In the United States, Chaturvedi et al (2011) confirmed the temporal increase in the proportion of OPSCC that were HPV positive from 20% in 1988 to more than 70% in 200465,66.

The last 25 years has seen an exponential growth in the literature surrounding this field, and there is now a strong and consistent molecular evidence base for a causal role of HPV in OPSCC. Indeed, in 2009 HPV was authoritatively recognised as a causal agent in the development of

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