Experts: “Vaccinate even boys against HPV” – Swedish Dagbladet

Photo: Lars Pehrson

We are facing a drastic increase in the number of patients with cancer in the head and neck area.

Head and neck cancer (HH-cancer) is a general term for cancer of the lip, tongue, floor of the mouth, gums, tonsils, nose and sinuses, larynx and entrance esophagus. In Sweden, the HH-cancer remains a relatively uncommon cancer, as with nearly 1,400 fell ill a year is just below the list of the ten most common cancers. Globally, however, the 4-5 th most common cancer diagnosis.

For a couple of decades ago was the majority of HH cancer in Sweden caused by smoking, but this is about to changed. Today, Sweden is one of the countries in the world that has the lowest proportion of daily smokers. But now we face a new problem. The number of patients with cancer of the tonsils and pharynx increases sharply. In the current situation falls ill about 400 people per year in Sweden. Looking back and analyze the rate of increase in recent decades, so we anticipate a drastic increase. Number of cases will double every 14 years. Patients affected are usually in early middle age and non-smokers. Corresponding disturbing trend seen elsewhere in Europe and in North America.

Every year dies, prematurely, more than 700 000 people in the HH cancer in the world. Many of these illness should preventable and treatment needs to be improved.

The increase in cancer of the tonsils and throat are largely linked to a viral infection with the human papillomavirus – HPV. This is an infection that most of us have had, and who cleared but in rare cases it leads to the development of cancer. This is the same virus that causes cervical cancer and where the community a couple of years offers young women vaccination to prevent the development of cancer.

The treatment of cancer of the oral cavity, tonsils and throat are demanding. Often does it with a combination of radiation therapy and surgery. The treatment usually provides lasting influence of socially important functions that appearance, speech, and ability to eat and drink. In many also affected the ability to move in the neck and shoulders. In addition to the individual “cost” in the form of sick leave, social disability is the direct cost of health care. To investigate and treat advanced HH cancer in Sweden today cost more than 450 000 per patient.

We need a strategy to overbuild cancer of the tonsils and throat. Most of this cancer is caused by the same virus – HPV – that causes cervical cancer (approximately 450 cases / year). Why we do not offer boys the opportunity to prophylactic vaccination in the early teens also overbuild cancer of the throat? Australia and Canada do it.

Research on the causes of development of head and neck cancer and evaluation of the treatment methods that give the best result is cost-effective, but the funding of research on head and neck cancer low priority. Cancer Foundation in Sweden gives a very important support for research on cancer, but there are differences between cancers in the grant application. For example, funding for research on breast cancer as diseased more than five times more per case of illness than for those affected by head and neck cancer.

Another neglected area is the rehabilitation after the completion of the HH-cancer treatment. The symptoms are lifelong and affects both the injured, their families and society. At last year’s international HH-cancer meeting in New York was the first time a patient in the center. It was actor Michael Douglas and his wife who told me about their joint disorder trip. Now he’s healthy, but like so many others, he is drawn with lifelong symptoms including severe dry mouth and stiffness in the neck and shoulders.

The increase in cancer of the tonsils and throat should be seriously. We believe that consideration should be given to provide vaccination against HPV even to boys in the same way as it is given to girls. In order to improve treatment and rehabilitation for head and neck cancer need the funds available for research and treatment development are distributed more equitably between cancer groups. The rehabilitation of patients with head and neck cancer is neglected and need priority up as well as the support given to relatives.

We want to pay attention to this and to promote a greater awareness of this disease, the suffering it causes and responsibilities and the opportunities we have to improve the situation for our patients.

John Wennerbergsgatan

Chief Physician, Professor, ENT Clinic, University Hospital, Lund

Martin Beran

MD, PhD, registrar for the Swedish quality of head and neck cancer, ENT clinic, NU healthcare, needle Trollhattan

Owe Persson

President of Oral & amp; Throat Cancer Association

Hans-Ola Fors

Laryngfonden (and former HH-cancer patient)

Eva Brown

Chief Physician, Associate Professor; Skåne Oncology Clinic, Lund University Hospital

Tomas Ekberg

with. PhD., MD, ENT Clinic, University Hospital, Uppsala

Eva Hammerlid

Associate Professor, Chief Physician, ENT Clinic, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg

Anders Högmo

MD, PhD, ENT Clinic, Karolinska Hospital, Stockholm, Chairman of the Swedish kvalitetsregistrer for head and neck cancer

Freddi Lewin

Chief Physician, Associate Professor, Oncology Department, Jonkoping

Eva Munck-Wikland

Chief Professor, Dept. of Otorhinolaryngology / head & amp; Neck Surgery, Karolinska University Hospital, Solna

Magnus Niklasson

MD, PhD, Section Head, ENT Clinic, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg

Jan Nyman

Associate Professor, Chief Physician, activity Oncology, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg

John Reizenstein

Chief Physician, Department of Oncology, University Hospital, Orebro

Karin Soderstrom

Physician, Tumor Group Manager, Cancer Center Norrland University

Anders Westerborn

Physician, ENT Clinic, University Hospital in Orebro

Björn Zackrisson

Chief Physician, Professor, Cancer Center, Hospital University Hospital, Umeå