HPV-Associated Cancers Statistics

A large study that covered 83% of the U.S. population during 1998–2003 estimated that about 24,900 HPV-associated cancers occur each year. More than 17,300 HPV-associated cancers occur yearly in women, and almost 7,600 occur yearly in men. Cervical cancer is the most common HPV-associated cancer among women, and head and neck (oral cavity and oropharyngeal) cancers are the most common HPV-associated cancers among men. The following counts are from this study.

Because these numbers are based on 83% of the U.S. population, they may under-represent the actual number of cancers diagnosed during this time period. Also, this study used cancer registry data to estimate the amount of potentially HPV-associated cancer in the United States by examining cancer in parts of the body and cancer cell types that are more likely to be caused by HPV. Cancer registries do not collect data on the presence or absence of HPV in cancer tissue at the time of diagnosis.

Although nearly all cervical cancers are caused by HPV, cancer in some other areas of the body discussed on the page are often, but not always, caused by HPV. In general, HPV is thought to be responsible for about—

• 90% of anal cancers.¹
• 65% of vaginal cancers.¹
• 50% of vulvar cancers.²
• 35% of penile cancers.²

Recent studies show that about 60% of oropharyngeal cancers (cancers of the back of the throat, including the base of the tongue and tonsils) are linked to HPV.³

References

¹De Vuyst H, Clifford GM, Nascimento MC, Madeleine MM, Franceschi S. Prevalence and type distribution of human papillomavirus in carcinoma and intraepithelial neoplasia of the vulva, vagina and anus: A meta-analysis. International Journal of Cancer 2009;124(7):1626–1636.

²Parkin DM, Bray F. Chapter 2: The burden of HPV-related cancers. Vaccine 2006;24(suppl 3):S11–S25.

³Kreimer AR, Clifford GM, Boyle P, Franceschi S. Human papillomavirus types in head and neck squamous cell carcinomas worldwide: A systematic review. Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention 2005;14(2):467–475.