Case–Control Study of Human Papillomavirus and Oropharyngeal Cancer
Gypsyamber DʼSouza, Aimée R. Kreimer, Raphael P. Viscidi, Michael Pawlita, Carole Fakhry, Wayne M. Koch +2 more
New England Journal of Medicine
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Substantial molecular evidence suggests a role for human papillomavirus (HPV) in the pathogenesis of oropharyngeal squamous-cell carcinoma, but epidemiologic data have been inconsistent. METHODS: We performed a hospital-based, case-control study of 100 patients with newly diagnosed oropharyngeal cancer and 200 control patients without cancer to evaluate associations between HPV infection and oropharyngeal cancer. Multivariate logistic-regression models were used for case-control comparisons. RESULTS: A high lifetime number of vaginal-sex partners (26 or more) was associated with oropharyngeal cancer (odds ratio, 3.1; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.5 to 6.5), as was a high lifetime number of oral-sex partners (6 or more) (odds ratio, 3.4; 95% CI, 1.3 to 8.8). The degree of asso