What is HPV?
HPV is a virus contracted through skin-to-skin sexual contact, is very infectious, and is spread via sexual activity.
How does HPV increase cancer risk?
• HPV infection increases the risk of oral cancer
• HPV is likely the cause of oral cancer not linked to tobacco or alcohol
• Specific HPV types carry higher risk
How does HPV spread?
Anybody who has ever been sexually active is at risk of contracting HPV. People come into contact with this virus, through any skin-to-skin sexual contact below the waistline with fingers, mouths, or other body parts, including genital-to-genital contact, anal intercourse, and oral sex… even without penetration.
HPV type 16
Strongly increases the risk of oral cancer
HPV type 18
May also increase risk of oral cancer
Other HPV types
Many types cause warts; oncogenic risk varies by type
Genital Warts
• Small raised lumps that can grow in
clumps or alone. Usually painless,
but may cause itching, or slight
bleeding
• Can be found anywhere from the
waist down to the knees, front and
back of a person’s body and in
the mouth
• Even if you have the virus, it can
take many months or years before
warts appear
• You can still give HPV without
having the physical signs of
genital warts
Incidence and mortality:
Incidence is the total number of new cases of cancer. Mortality is the number of deaths due to cancer. Cancer statistics are currently collected, analyzed and reported based on the sex assigned at birth, with male/men and female/women categories. We need to address gaps in how statistics are collected to better understand cancer in transgender, non-binary and gender-diverse people.
8,100
people in Canada will be diagnosed with head and neck cancer
2,200
people in Canada will die from head and neck cancer
1,600
men will die from it
620
women will die from it
Diagnoses with head and neck cancer (estimated 2025):
Oropharyngeal cancer rates are up to 5× higher in men than women.
