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Pathology · single question

Which of the following is true about HPV-positive oropharyngeal cancer?

  1. It affects men above age 60 most commonly
  2. It does not respond to radiation therapy
  3. It is the most common oropharyngeal cancer in the US
  4. It primarily affects the floor of the mouth
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Correct answer: C. It is the most common oropharyngeal cancer in the US

  • A. HPV-positive oropharyngeal cancer more commonly affects men in their 40s-50s — younger than traditional head and neck cancer patients.
  • B. HPV-positive oropharyngeal cancer actually has BETTER response rates to radiation and chemotherapy compared to HPV-negative tumors.
  • C. HPV-positive oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma has surpassed tobacco-related oropharyngeal cancer to become the most common oropharyngeal cancer in the US. HPV-16 is the primary oncogenic strain. HPV+ tumors have a BETTER prognosis than HPV-negative tumors.
  • D. HPV-positive cancer primarily affects the OROPHARYNX (tonsils, base of tongue, soft palate) — not the floor of the mouth.

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