Epidemiology and incidence of HPV-related cancers of the head and neck

Globally, 4.5% of cancers are due to the human papillomavirus (HPV). In the United States, 80 million people are infected with HPV, and the incidence of HPV oropharyngeal cancer has surpassed HPV cervical cancer. The highest burden of oropharyngeal cancer is seen in middle-aged and increasingly older White men. HPV vaccination promises to change the epidemiology of this disease, but HPV vaccination rates remain too low today to reduce disease transmission.

Automated summary

Globally, 4.5% of cancers are caused by HPV, with HPV oropharyngeal cancer now surpassing cervical cancer in the United States. The highest burden of oropharyngeal cancer is seen in middle-aged and older White men. HPV vaccination offers promise in changing disease epidemiology, but current vaccination rates are too low to effectively reduce disease transmission.