Oncopolicy in high-income countries can make a difference in HPV-related Head and Neck Cancer

TY - JOUR

T1 - Oncopolicy in high-income countries can make a difference in HPV-related Head and Neck Cancer

AU - Coughlan, D.

AU - O'Connor, T.

AU - Pai, S. I.

AU - Westra, W. H.

AU - Frick, K. D.

AU - O'Neill, C.

AU - Keogh, I. J.

N1 - Funding Information: Financial support: Health Research Board (HRB) in Ireland under their Knowledge Exchange and Dissemination Scheme (KEDS) grant and the NUI Galway Millennium Fund Award. Publisher Copyright: © 2013 The Authors

PY - 2013/9/1

Y1 - 2013/9/1

N2 - The Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) is a causal agent in a subset of Head and Neck Cancers (HNC), which is being diagnosed in younger men without a significant history of tobacco and alcohol use. The increasing incidence of these cancers and the burgeoning cost associated with treatment should make this issue a legitimate oncopolicy agenda priority. This communication details a number of actionable strategies that policy-makers could implement to reduce the number of people diagnosed with the disease, enhance the quality of life for those living with the disease and lessen the likelihood of dying from the disease. Based on a HPV and Head and Neck Cancer symposium held in National University of Ireland, Galway on May 17th 2013. We make the argument that a supra-regional, multidisciplinary, research-focused approach to HPV-related HNC is urgently needed. Policy-makers could support a network of researchers in the fields of epidemiology, pathology, clinical treatment, health economics and public health to work together to raise public awareness about the disease, treat patients to the highest international standards and evaluate prevention strategies such as gender-neutral HPV vaccination. We hope that this communication will hold sway in many high and middle-income countries.

AB - The Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) is a causal agent in a subset of Head and Neck Cancers (HNC), which is being diagnosed in younger men without a significant history of tobacco and alcohol use. The increasing incidence of these cancers and the burgeoning cost associated with treatment should make this issue a legitimate oncopolicy agenda priority. This communication details a number of actionable strategies that policy-makers could implement to reduce the number of people diagnosed with the disease, enhance the quality of life for those living with the disease and lessen the likelihood of dying from the disease. Based on a HPV and Head and Neck Cancer symposium held in National University of Ireland, Galway on May 17th 2013. We make the argument that a supra-regional, multidisciplinary, research-focused approach to HPV-related HNC is urgently needed. Policy-makers could support a network of researchers in the fields of epidemiology, pathology, clinical treatment, health economics and public health to work together to raise public awareness about the disease, treat patients to the highest international standards and evaluate prevention strategies such as gender-neutral HPV vaccination. We hope that this communication will hold sway in many high and middle-income countries.

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84902486504&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1016/j.jcpo.2013.07.003

DO - 10.1016/j.jcpo.2013.07.003

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:84902486504

SN - 2213-5383

VL - 1

SP - e49-e51

JO - Journal of Cancer Policy

JF - Journal of Cancer Policy

IS - 3-4

ER -