Abstract:

Human papillomaviruses constitute the most widely spread sexually transmitted viral infection world-wide. In about 1% of the cases, a continuing HPV infection can lead to the appearance of precancerous conditions. In a subsequent carcinoma progression, different types of cancer can develop – cervical, rectal, penile, oral, throat, laryngeal, etc. More than 200 HPV types have been established, with at least 25 found in lesions in the oral cavity.

The attention of specialists in the field has been focused on the association between HPVs and oral carcinogenesis. It is highly recommended that each patient with a suspected lesion in the oral cavity should be tested for HPV.