[The HPV infection as an alternative to tobacco smoking way of head and neck tumors development--what are the implications for patients?]

Przegl Lek. 2012;69(10):1074-8.
[Article in Polish]

Abstract

It was established, that HPV virus (Human Papilloma Virus) is responsible for tumor induction in some anatomical regions of head and neck, mainly in palatine tonsils. The characteristics of HPV-related tumors as well as the course of the disease are definitely different compared to tobacco-smoking related tumors; patients HPV-positve have better prognosis - less patients develops recurrences and dies from the disease. There is no full compliance about patients' characteristics, although most indications concern "young adults" with their intensive sexual life. Because the course of HPV-related tumors is milder, there is a need to distinguish the cause of disease to carry on the therapy adjusted to the causative factor. This approach might help to select HPV-negative patients with severe course of disease to apply more aggressive chemotherapy.

Publication types

  • English Abstract
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Antineoplastic Agents / therapeutic use
  • Causality
  • Cell Cycle
  • Comorbidity
  • Head and Neck Neoplasms / drug therapy
  • Head and Neck Neoplasms / epidemiology*
  • Head and Neck Neoplasms / pathology
  • Humans
  • Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / epidemiology
  • Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / prevention & control
  • Papillomavirus Infections / drug therapy
  • Papillomavirus Infections / epidemiology*
  • Papillomavirus Infections / pathology
  • Prognosis
  • Risk Factors
  • Sexual Behavior
  • Smoking / epidemiology*
  • Tumor Virus Infections / drug therapy
  • Tumor Virus Infections / epidemiology*
  • Tumor Virus Infections / pathology
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents