Posters
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Neuroscience
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Obstetrics and Gynecology
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Neuroscience
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Program Abstract
Abstract
Chronic heavy alcohol consumption and alcohol misuse may lead to alcohol use disorder and related physical and mental diseases such as liver disease, cervical cancer, pancreatitis, dementia, and various types of cancer. Alcohol use has been identified as a risk factor or aggravating factor for many kinds of cancers as well. HPV infection is the most extensively studied and clinically significant group of Papilloma Viruses (PV) in humans. They have more than 200 identified types, categorized into low‐risk types and high‐risk types based on their association with different diseases. Two important high-risk types include HPV 16 and HPB 18. Most notably, HPV infection has been related to cervical cancer as a leading cause of death both in Mexico and in the United States. HPV is also involved in other cancers, such as oropharyngeal cancers. The aim of this study was to investigate the potential association of alcohol use with HPV virus infection and related oropharyngeal cancers.
Methods: We conducted a selected review of scientific literature in PubMed and Scholars Works published between 2021 and 2024 that examined the association between alcohol use and HPV and related oropharyngeal cancer using terms such as “alcohol use disorders, Human Papilloma Virus, and oropharyngeal cancer.”
Results: The results of this selected review indicated that there is evidence for an association between alcohol intake and risk and outcome of HPV related cancers. Studies have reported direct negative interaction of HPV with alcohol as well as with smoking and the development of primary oropharyngeal cancer. Studies have also shown that the combined effect alcohol use, smoking and HPV infection (16 type) strongly interact in increasing the risk for cancer of the oropharynx. Alcohol use and also smoking, appears to be independently increasing the risk of oropharyngeal-related HPV cancers relapse in those with HPV positivity.
Conclusions: The results of this selective review indicate that Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a significant risk factor for the development of oropharyngeal cancers, and that alcohol, as well as smoking are associated with increased risk for developing these cancers. Alcohol use also increases the risk for relapse of these cancers. HPV exposure, alcohol use and smoking are all modifiable risk factors. These findings call for strong preventative measures to reduce the risk of infection as well as lifestyles changes to reduce the risk for alcohol use and smoking. HPV infection, alcohol use and smoking are also causative factors in the development of multiple other types of cancers. This highlights the need for comprehensive preventative public health strategies aimed at decreasing the burden of HPV, alcohol, and smoking related cancers.
Recommended Citation
Garza, Noe; Gomez-Garza, Miroslava; Garza, Desiree; and Salloum, Ihsan, "The Association of Alcohol Use with Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) and related Oropharyngeal Cancers in the Border of South Texas" (2025). Research Symposium. 123.
https://scholarworks.utrgv.edu/somrs/2025/posters/123
Included in
The Association of Alcohol Use with Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) and related Oropharyngeal Cancers in the Border of South Texas
Chronic heavy alcohol consumption and alcohol misuse may lead to alcohol use disorder and related physical and mental diseases such as liver disease, cervical cancer, pancreatitis, dementia, and various types of cancer. Alcohol use has been identified as a risk factor or aggravating factor for many kinds of cancers as well. HPV infection is the most extensively studied and clinically significant group of Papilloma Viruses (PV) in humans. They have more than 200 identified types, categorized into low‐risk types and high‐risk types based on their association with different diseases. Two important high-risk types include HPV 16 and HPB 18. Most notably, HPV infection has been related to cervical cancer as a leading cause of death both in Mexico and in the United States. HPV is also involved in other cancers, such as oropharyngeal cancers. The aim of this study was to investigate the potential association of alcohol use with HPV virus infection and related oropharyngeal cancers.
Methods: We conducted a selected review of scientific literature in PubMed and Scholars Works published between 2021 and 2024 that examined the association between alcohol use and HPV and related oropharyngeal cancer using terms such as “alcohol use disorders, Human Papilloma Virus, and oropharyngeal cancer.”
Results: The results of this selected review indicated that there is evidence for an association between alcohol intake and risk and outcome of HPV related cancers. Studies have reported direct negative interaction of HPV with alcohol as well as with smoking and the development of primary oropharyngeal cancer. Studies have also shown that the combined effect alcohol use, smoking and HPV infection (16 type) strongly interact in increasing the risk for cancer of the oropharynx. Alcohol use and also smoking, appears to be independently increasing the risk of oropharyngeal-related HPV cancers relapse in those with HPV positivity.
Conclusions: The results of this selective review indicate that Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a significant risk factor for the development of oropharyngeal cancers, and that alcohol, as well as smoking are associated with increased risk for developing these cancers. Alcohol use also increases the risk for relapse of these cancers. HPV exposure, alcohol use and smoking are all modifiable risk factors. These findings call for strong preventative measures to reduce the risk of infection as well as lifestyles changes to reduce the risk for alcohol use and smoking. HPV infection, alcohol use and smoking are also causative factors in the development of multiple other types of cancers. This highlights the need for comprehensive preventative public health strategies aimed at decreasing the burden of HPV, alcohol, and smoking related cancers.
