HPV-Associated Cancers Statistics

A study that covered 100% of the U.S. population during 2004–2008 estimated that about 33,300 HPV-associated cancers occur each year. About 21,300 HPV-associated cancers occur each year among females, and about 12,100 occur each year among males. Cervical cancer is the most common HPV-associated cancer among women, and oropharyngeal cancers are the most common among men.¹ The following counts are from this study.

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.²
• 65% of vaginal cancers.²
• 50% of vulvar cancers.³
• 35% of penile cancers.³

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.⁴

References

¹Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Human papillomavirus–associated cancers—United States, 2004–2008. MMWR 2012;61(15):258–261.

²De 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.

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

⁴Kreimer 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.