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The Centers for Disease Control has just released a report entitled "Assessing the Burden of Human Papillomavirus (HPV)-Associated Cancers in the United States (ABHACUS)." The report is published online and appears in the Nov. 15, 2008, supplement edition of Cancer. The report, based upon CDC studies, found 25,000 cases of human papillomavirus (HPV)-associated cancers occurred in 38 states and the District of Columbia annually during 1998-2003. This is the largest, most comprehensive assessment of HPV-associated cancer data to date in the United States, and used cancer registry data from CDC's National Program of Cancer Registries and the National Cancer Institute's Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program.

"These estimates of HPV-associated cancers were collected prior to the development of the HPV vaccine. This gives us baseline data to measure the impact of HPV vaccine and cervical cancer screening programs in reducing the incidence of cervical cancer and other HPV-associated cancers and precancers," said Mona Saraiya, M.D., M.P.H., medical officer in CDC's Division of Cancer Prevention and Control and coordinator of the studies.

The top HPV-associated cancer sites were cervix, oral cavity and oropharynx, anus, vulva, penis, and vagina. HPV is the name of a group of viruses that includes more than 100 different types, 30 of which can be sexually transmitted. Most people with HPV infection do not develop symptoms or health problems. However, some HPV types can cause cervical cancer and other less common cancers, such as cancer of the vulva, vagina, anus, and penis. Other HPV types can cause genital warts.

The findings of the Report include:

More HPV-associated cancers occur in the cervix than any other site - about 10,800 per year. The incidence rate of cervical cancer was 8.9 women during 1998-2003. Black and Hispanic women had higher rates of cervical cancer (12.6 and 14.2, respectively) than white and non-Hispanic women (both 8.4). Women with a history of cervical cancer have an increased risk of developing subsequent non-invasive cancers of the vagina and vulva, as well as invasive cancers of the vagina, vulva, and rectum.

There were more than 3,000 HPV-associated anal cancers per year - about 1,900 in women and 1,100 in men. HPV-associated anal cancer occurs more frequently among women (1.5) compared to men (1.0). Whites had the highest rates among women (1.6), while blacks had the highest rates among men (1.2).

There were about 2,300 new cases of vulvar cancer each year during the study period. In contrast to cervical cancer, white women (1.8) had higher rates of vulvar cancer than black (1.3) and Asian/Pacific Islander (0.4) women.

Penile cancer is relatively rare, striking about 800 men each year. Incidence rates were higher among Hispanic men (1.3) than non-Hispanic men (0.8).

About 600 women a year developed vaginal cancers. Incidence rates were higher among black women than white women (0.7 and 0.4, respectively), and incidence rates were lowest among Asian/Pacific Islander women (0.3).

The online article may be found at: http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/121498429/issue

Adapted from a press release from the CDC.