title: Oropharyngeal cancer.
abstract: Carcinoma of the oropharynx is of squamous histology in over 90% of cases. Oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) displays significant heterogeneity in terms of etiology, biology, and clinical behavior. It has now become clear that a subset is initiated by infection with high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) types, especially type 16. This review summarizes the epidemiology, clinical presentation, molecular pathogenesis, diagnosis, and therapy of OSCC, focusing on the HPV-associated cases; it also details the need for a better understanding of the molecular pathogenesis of the different types of OSCC in order to improve treatment.
authors.affiliation: Head and Neck Oncology Unit, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA. diamando.psyrri@yale.edu
authors.forename: Amanda
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Psyrri
authors.forename: Loukas
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Prezas
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Burtness
mesh_terms: D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000652:urine / Q000821:virology; D005260:Female; D052162:Human papillomavirus 16; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009959:Oropharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000652:urine / Q000821:virology; D030361:Papillomavirus Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000652:urine