New Report Reveals Oral, Anal HPV-Related Cancer on The Rise

UC Davis Health System media resources: Oral, anal HPV-related cancers on the rise

UC Davis Health System has experts available to comment about the Annual Report to the Nation on the Status of Cancer, 1975-2009, which shows that overall cancer death rates continued to decline for most cancers, but that certain preventable cancers - those associated with human papillomavirus (HPV) infection - have continued to increase.

The report found that from 2000 to 2009 incidence rates for HPV-associated oropharyngeal (mouth and throat) cancer increased among white men and women, as did rates for anal cancer among white and black men and women. Incidence rates for cancer of the vulva increased among white and black women. Rates of cervical cancer declined among all women except American Indian/Alaska Natives.

The report's special feature on section on HPV-associated cancers also showed that HPV vaccination coverage levels in the U.S. during 2008 and 2010 remained low among adolescent girls. In 2010, fewer than half (48.7 percent) of girls ages 13 through 17 had received at least one dose of the HPV vaccine, and only 32 percent had received all three recommended doses.

Vaccination series completion rates were generally lower among certain sub-populations, including girls living in the South, those living below the poverty level and Hispanics.

For interviews with any of the following experts, contact Dorsey Griffith at 916-734-9118 or by e-mail at Dorsey.griffith@ucdmc.ucdavis.edu.

Allen Chen, associate professor in the Department of Radiation Oncology at the UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center. Dr. Chen is an expert in HPV-associated head and neck cancer. A frequent speaker who is widely published on the subject, Dr. Chen has designed several innovative clinical trials on treatment for HPV-associated head and neck cancer and research on the mechanisms underlying the exquisite sensitivity of HPV-related head and neck cancers to chemotherapy and radiation therapy among non-smokers.

Dean A. Blumberg, associate professor and chief of pediatric infectious diseases at the UC Davis Children's Hospital. His main areas of interest are preventing and treating childhood infections. He is involved in clinical vaccine research and childhood immunization policies.

Gary Leiserowitz, professor and chief of the UC Davis Division of Gynecelogic Oncology. Dr. Leiserowitz has been in academic practice at UC Davis for more than 19 years. His practice includes treatment for malignant and pre-malignant diseases that are HPV-associated, including the cervix, vagina and vulva. He has conducted research related to the immunology of HPV disease.

Richard Bold, professor and chief of surgical oncology at the UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center. A researcher as well as a surgical oncologist, Dr. Bold directs the center's clinical operations. Dr. Bold is an expert in pancreatic and hepatobiliary cancers, breast cancer and minimally invasive surgical techniques. He oversees an active basic-science laboratory investigating mechanisms of resistance to traditional chemotherapy as well as testing new treatments for detecting and treating cancer.

UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center
UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center is the only National Cancer Institute-designated center serving the Central Valley and inland Northern California, a region of more than 6 million people. Its specialists provide compassionate, comprehensive care for more than 9,000 adults and children every year, and access to more than 150 clinical trials at any given time. Its innovative research program engages more than 280 scientists at UC Davis, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and Jackson Laboratory (JAX West), whose scientific partnerships advance discovery of new tools to diagnose and treat cancer. Through the Cancer Care Network, UC Davis collaborates with a number of hospitals and clinical centers throughout the Central Valley and Northern California regions to offer the latest cancer care. Its community-based outreach and education programs address disparities in cancer outcomes across diverse populations. For more information, visit cancer.ucdavis.edu.