AUTHOR=Chung Ryan S. , Wong Stephanie , Lin Dechen , Kokot Niels C. , Sinha Uttam K. , Han Albert Y. 

TITLE=Mechanisms of crosstalk between the oropharyngeal microbiome and human papillomavirus in oropharyngeal carcinogenesis: a mini review

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Oncology

VOLUME=14

YEAR=2024

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/oncology/articles/10.3389/fonc.2024.1425545

DOI=10.3389/fonc.2024.1425545

ISSN=2234-943X

ABSTRACT=<p>Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is the sixth most common cancer globally. Notably, human papillomavirus (HPV)-positive oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC) is on the rise, accounting for 70% of all OPSCC cases. Persistent high-risk HPV infection is linked to various cancers, but HPV infection alone is not sufficient to cause cancer. Advances in next-generation sequencing have improved our understanding of changes in the human microbiome of cancerous environments. Yet, there remains a dearth of knowledge on the impact of HPV-microbiome crosstalk in HPV-positive OPSCC. In this review, we examine what is known about the oropharyngeal microbiome and the compositional shifts in this microbiome in HPV-positive OPSCC. We also review potential mechanisms of crosstalk between HPV and specific microorganisms. Additional research is needed to understand these interactions and their roles on cancer development and progression.</p>