This is the new profile of the patient with oropharyngeal cancer

Human papillomavirus ( HPV ) infection causes between 30 and 70% of oropharyngeal tumors, a type of head and neck cancer that is on the rise due to changing sexual habits. This is a warning issued by the Spanish Society of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery (SEORL-CCC) on the occasion of World Head and Neck Cancer Day , celebrated on July 27.

"HPV, tobacco, and alcohol are the main risk factors for this cancer. However, the patient profile changes depending on the cause of the tumor. Cancers caused by HPV affect younger people, between 40 and 50 years old, and are less serious," says Dr. Eduardo Ferrandis , president of the entity's Oncology and Head and Neck Committee .

Among the reasons for the increase in these types of tumors are changes in sexual habits—earlier initiation of sexual relations and a greater number of partners—since HPV is a very common sexually transmitted disease linked to the development of various tumors (cervix, penis, anus, mouth, and throat). In fact, 78% of Spaniards have had oral sex, according to a recent survey by the Center for Sociological Research .

The virus can remain in the body for years without causing symptoms , making it difficult to pinpoint the exact moment a person contracts it. Both men and women can be asymptomatic carriers and transmitters of HPV infection.

" HPV type 16 (HPV16) is the type most frequently associated with oropharyngeal cancer, especially cancers of the tonsils and the base of the tongue . They frequently generate hidden microtumors in the tonsils or small tumors at diagnosis but with the presence of large, cystic, and multiple cervical lymph nodes ," explains Dr. Ferrandis . " HPV DNA (a sign of HPV infection) is found in around two out of three oropharyngeal cancers and in a much smaller fraction in oral cavity cancers ," adds this specialist.

In recent decades, the number of cases of HPV-associated oropharyngeal cancers has multiplied. These cancers are becoming more common in younger people who have a history of multiple sexual partners (including oral sex) and no history of alcohol or tobacco abuse.

"Oropharyngeal cancers associated with HPV infections tend to have better outcomes than non-HPV cancers because chemotherapy and radiation treatments work better against these cancers. This improved outcome, however, is not seen in people with HPV-associated oropharyngeal cancers who also smoke," says Dr. Cristina Valero , member of the Oncology and Head and Neck Surgery Committee.

Among the ten most diagnosed tumorsIn 2025, 7,446 cancers of the oral cavity and oropharynx and 3,190 of the larynx will be diagnosed, warn the Spanish Society of Medical Oncology (SEOM) and the Spanish Network of Cancer Registries REDECAN in their report Cancer Figures . Head and neck cancer is among the ten most diagnosed in our country and claimed more than 3,600 lives last year. In addition, it carries a great stigma for the patient.

"These tumors are found in facial structures, the oral cavity, and the upper respiratory tract, among other structures, so they can seriously affect a person's identity and important functions such as speech, swallowing, chewing, breathing, etc.," adds Dr. Ferrandis.

These patients, if they experience any symptoms they consider unusual, should consult a specialist to facilitate an early diagnosis . "A mouth ulcer (sore, canker sore) that doesn't heal within 15 days, or a voice change, a neck tumor, etc., should be evaluated by an otolaryngologist and head and neck surgeon," concludes Dr. Valero .