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HPV Vaccination Oropharyngeal — SCE Medical Oncology MCQ

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ModerateHead & Neck CancerHPV Vaccination OropharyngealSCE Medical Oncology

A 72-year-old man with HPV-positive oropharyngeal SCC is treated with concurrent cisplatin-CRT. The 3-year follow-up shows excellent disease control. His oncologist discusses the role of HPV vaccination for cancer PREVENTION. What is the evidence for HPV vaccination and oropharyngeal cancer?

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Correct answer: A — While HPV vaccination is primarily proven to prevent cervical cancer and anogenital cancers

HPV vaccination (Gardasil 9: HPV 6/11/16/18/31/33/45/52/58) prevents oral HPV infection and is expected to reduce HPV-related oropharyngeal SCC incidence over the coming decades. In the UK, the gender-neutral HPV vaccination programme (males and females aged 12-13) was introduced in 2019. While direct RCT evidence for oropharyngeal cancer prevention is not yet available (due to the long latency period), population-level data from cervical/anogenital cancer prevention and oral HPV prevalence studies strongly support this biological plausibility.

Reference: https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/conditions-and-diseases/cancer