HPV vaccine could prevent rising throat cancer cases, UCLA doctor says

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports Human Papillomavirus (HPV) is responsible for as many as 70% of oropharyngeal cancers, which affect the middle part of the throat. Despite this connection, many people remain unaware that HPV vaccination can protect against these cancers.

"Around 2018, when new data was just coming out on this, I was in medical school," said Dr. Lauran Evans, a PGY-5 otolaryngology resident in the University of California Los Angeles Department of Head and Neck Surgery. "I talked with my medical school colleagues, residents, and professors about it. I found it shocking that no one knew HPV caused throat cancer and that we could prevent it so easily if people would just become vaccinated."

HPV spreads through skin-to-skin and sexual contact. The virus can lead to various health problems beyond throat cancer.

"HPV causes a lot of different disease processes," Evans said. "It can cause anything from hand/foot warts and genital warts to warts in the airway, mouth, and voice box." She noted HPV is also the most common cause of cancers of the oropharynx, genitals, and cervix.

While many healthy individuals can fight off HPV naturally, those who can’t may develop warts or cancer. The HPV vaccine offers 99% effectiveness against HPV-related diseases and is now recommended for people starting at age nine. It can be given up to age 45.

"All genders and sexes should receive the HPV vaccine," Evans said. The vaccination schedule involves two or three doses, depending on when a person begins the series.

To address knowledge gaps, Evans developed an educational course about HPV and throat cancer during her medical school years. Initially designed for students, trainees, and doctors in pediatrics, internal medicine, family medicine, obstetrics and gynecology, and head and neck surgery, the program aims to equip healthcare providers with knowledge to counsel patients about HPV and vaccination options.

The educational initiative has shown measurable results. According to Evans, UCLA primary care residents who completed the workshop demonstrated improved HPV knowledge, and their patients showed increased HPV vaccination rates.

"That's been very powerful and rewarding," Evans said.

Evans has recently expanded her educational outreach beyond medical professionals. "I have given three workshops to high school and college students so far," she said. "We are also transforming it to be given at community centers, largely in the Black and Latinx communities through UCLA's community outreach program."

Evans contributes to several basic science projects focused on treating HPV-related throat cancer, including innovative approaches using patient samples.

"We test new chemotherapeutic agents, medications, and radiation dosages on lab-grown human tissue to develop therapeutic protocols for treating patients who have HPV-related throat cancer," she noted.

Current vaccination rates remain insufficient to curb the growing problem. "Right now, we are not doing well enough with HPV vaccination," Evans said. "There is an epidemic of oropharyngeal cancer, meaning that every year, the rates continue to rise. We could prevent all this illness and death if we could just increase HPV vaccination rates."

Health officials continue to emphasize vaccinations, raising awareness about the connection between HPV and throat cancer represents a crucial step toward increasing vaccination rates and ultimately reducing cancer incidence.