Socio-demographic factors and HPV in oropharyngeal cancer.
Research type
Research Study
Full title
The association of socio-demographic factors with prevalence of human papillomavirus (HPV) in oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma.
IRAS ID
185113
Contact name
Selvam Thavaraj
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
King's College London
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 11 months, 31 days
Research summary
Recent years have seen an ‘epidemic’ rise in rates of cancer of the oropharynx (the part of the throat at back of the mouth including the tonsils, tongue base and soft palate). The marked rise in the rates of oropharyngeal cancer (OC) makes it now one of the fastest increasing types of cancer in parts of the United Kingdom. This trend is attributed to human papillomavirus (HPV). HPV associated OC demonstrate distinct demographic, clinical, microscopic and genetic features compared to other head and neck cancers (HNC). In particular, HPV associated OC occur in a slightly younger population who tend to be non-smokers. Importantly, it is now well established that patients with HPV associated OC show significantly better survival outcome compared to those with HPV negative OC.
The percentage of OCs which harbour HPV varies considerably according to geographic region. For example, it ranges from 6% in parts of Spain to up to 72% in the United States of America (USA). The reason for the differences in this prevalence rate are poorly understood but is thought to be linked, at least in part, to lifestyle factors. While there is a growing body of evidence indicating that there is variation in the prevalence of HPV in OC between countries, little is known about whether there are significant differences between neighbourhoods within a single catchment area. Since HPV status is a very strong prognostic indicator for OC, differences in prevalence rates according to geographic region or socio-economic status are likely to significantly impact on survival outcome.
This study aims to determine whether socio-economic factors are associated with HPV prevalence rates in OC and, in turn, whether these factors impact on survival outcome. The findings of this study are likely to inform future targeted HNC prevention strategies including vaccination and smoking cessation programmes.
REC name
East of England - Essex Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
17/EE/0148
Date of REC Opinion
10 Apr 2017
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion