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Oropharyngeal cancer and HPV
Make it clearer
Oropharyngeal cancer is a cancer that starts at the back of the throat. The oropharynx is the area you can actually see when you open your mouth wide in front of a mirror: the tonsils are there, the two pads on either side, and the base of the tongue, the back part you can't stick out. That's the ground where the tumor begins.
Some oropharyngeal cancers show up in people who have carried an infection for years that never cleared, the human papillomavirus, or HPV, and not just any type of it but a few specific ones. Beyond that, smoking and drinking alcohol also push the risk of this cancer up.
In brief
Oropharyngeal cancer starts at the back of the throat, an area that includes the tonsils and the base of the tongue.
First locate the oropharynx: behind the mouth, around the tonsils and the base of the tongue. The cancer's name identifies that site of origin.
Some cancers in this area are linked to lasting infection with certain types of human papillomavirus, or HPV.
Tobacco and alcohol are other risk factors for oropharyngeal cancer.
Sources (2)
- National Cancer InstituteOropharyngeal Cancer Treatment (PDQ®)–Patient Version
- Centers for Disease Control and PreventionHPV and Oropharyngeal CancerPublished
This page explains the topic in general terms; it does not tell anyone what treatment to follow.
Updated