March 01, 2019

HPV infection may be behind rise in vocal-cord cancers among young nonsmokers

March 01, 2019/ Melanie Woodworth

A remarkable recent increase in the diagnosis of vocal-cord cancer in young adults appears to be the result of infection with strains of human papilloma virus (HPV) that also cause cervical cancer and other malignancies. Investigators from Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) describe finding HPV infection in all tested samples of vocal-cord cancer from 10 patients diagnosed at age 30 or under, most of whom were non-smokers. Their report appears in a special supplement on innovations in laryngeal surgery that accompanies the March 2019 issue of Annals of Otology, Rhinology and Laryngology.

For the news release from Massachusetts General Hospital, click here.

To read Glottic Carcinoma in Young Patients by Semirra Bayan, M.D., William Faquin, M.D., Ph.D., and Steven M. Zeitels, M.D., F.A.C.S. from the Annals of Otology, Rhinology and Laryngology, click here.

Voice Health Institute

The Voice Health Institute (VHI) is an independent federally-approved 501(c)3 nonprofit public charity that was founded in 2003 by patients who suffered voice loss and struggled to find effective treatment. The VHI’s mission is to raise charitable funds to support research, education and outreach programs that will improve the standard of care for voice and upper airway problems. It has been the most successful organization of its kind and more than 90% of the funds that VHI raises are used to support these programs.

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