HPV and Head & Neck Forum

The epidemiology of HPV-associated head and neck cancers has evolved considerably over recent decades. As the impact of widespread HPV vaccination continues to unfold, further shifts in disease patterns are expected. A thorough understanding of these changing trends and their contributing risk factors remains vital for guiding public health policy and prevention strategies. This session will examine recent developments and disparities in oropharyngeal cancer incidence and survival and will include presentations on oral HPV epidemiology and vaccination.

The incidence of human papillomavirus (HPV)–driven oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma continues to increase in many regions worldwide. While several promising biomarkers are currently under investigation, effective population-based screening remains elusive. This session will provide an overview of the current state of research, the promises and potential pitfalls, and highlight the most recent data from ongoing studies.

Human papillomavirus–positive oropharyngeal cancer (HPV? OPC) represents the fastest-growing head and neck cancer subtype, yet diagnosis and surveillance still rely heavily on imaging and invasive procedures. This session will explore how liquid biopsy technologies — especially circulating tumor HPV DNA (ctHPV DNA) assays — are redefining detection, risk stratification, and post-treatment monitoring for these patients. Presenters will highlight recent advances in ultrasensitive digital PCR and next-generation sequencing approaches, emerging urine-based tests, and the integration of molecular results into clinical decision-making and telemedicine frameworks. Case studies and prospective trial data will demonstrate how these assays enable earlier recurrence detection, guide therapeutic interventions, and expand access to precision oncology in diverse care settings. Attendees will gain a clear understanding of the translational and clinical potential of HPV liquid biopsy, from laboratory development to real-world implementation in personalized cancer care.

HPV-associated head and neck cancers, particularly oropharyngeal carcinoma, provide a unique model for the interaction between the virus, tumor cells and the microenvironment. This session provides a comprehensive overview of recent advances, ranging from the classification of HPV-associated cancers and the role of the tumor microenvironment to virocellular signatures that distinguish HPV-positive oropharyngeal cancers from other anatomical sites. Systemic serological approaches will provide insight into host immune responses and their potential diagnostic and prognostic value. Particular attention will be given to metabolic reprogramming in oropharyngeal cancer, highlighting virus-induced vulnerabilities that could be exploited for therapeutic purposes. Finally, the development of therapeutic vaccines targeting HPV-induced malignant tumors will be discussed, including the validation of target epitopes, the use of orthotopic tumor models and the induction of mucosal antitumor immunity. Overall, this session emphasizes a strongly translational perspective at the crossroads of virology, immunology and innovative cancer therapies.

This session presents cutting-edge research on the molecular underpinnings of HPV-driven oropharyngeal cancer (OPC), integrating viral, host, and tumor biology. Talks will cover intratumoral and inter-nodal heterogeneity revealed by combined exome and viral genome sequencing, mechanisms of OPC progression linked to PIK3CA mutations, and viral genomic features associated with prognosis. The session will also highlight translational advances, including an E7-IL2 conjugated vaccine and its immunologic correlates. Together, these studies illustrate how integrating viral genomics, somatic alterations, and immune responses can refine our understanding of disease evolution and inform therapeutic strategies in HPV-related OPC.

This session will review several approaches to personalized therapy for HPV-associated cancer. These are designed to reduce the significant long-term side effects of conventional head and neck cancer treatment with surgery and radio(chemo)therapy. These will include ctDNA-guided therapy and risk adapted reduction of adjuvant therapy. Further therapeutic vaccinations are included. Neoadjuvant concepts will also be discussed. The session will, therefore, review important results and considerations for improving the treatment of HPV-associated head and neck cancer.

Patients with HPV associated head and neck cancer are often younger at diagnosis and enjoy more favorable cure rates. This raises concerns for long-term functional, social, and emotional repercussions of treatment. Expectations amongst this population are generally high with hopes of returning to pre-cancer function and quality of life. In this session we will highlight considerations to optimize longterm survivorship and quality of life including addressing fears of recurrent disease through use of liquid biopsies, managing depression and anxiety, identifying and managing head and neck lymphedema and dysphagia, and holistic patient centered rehabilitation.

Recurrent Respiratory Papillomatosis (RRP) has been a vexing clinical problem for over 150 years, with recurrent growths in the airway managed by serial surgical debridement, exacting a tremendous toll on patients and their caregivers. This session will review up-to-date biologic understandings of RRP, and state-of-the-art treatments, including a variety of non-surgical strategies used to control papilloma growth and address the underlying causative viral infection. Results of key clinical trials and FDA-approved medications will be discussed, as the field moves towards a non-surgical management strategy for this chronic disease.