Unveiling Oropharyngeal Cancer Patients' Perceptions of HPV Vaccination

Although cervical cancer squamous cell carcinoma (CCSCC) rates have annually declined by 1.6% from 1999 to 2015, oropharyngeal cancer squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC) rates have annually risen by 2.7% in men and 0.8% in women, driven by a rise in HPV-associated cancers.¹ The Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine targets HPV types 6, 11, 16, 18, 31, 33, 45, 52, and 58, and has the potential to prevent over 90% of HPV-related cancers.^3,4 However, vaccination remains low, with only 58% of young women ages 18 to 26 years old and 35% of men of the same age in the USA being vaccinated against HPV in 2022.² The purpose of this study is to understand potential reasons behind these trends by interviewing OPSCC patients about their health literacy and social interactions involving HPV and the vaccine. Online focus groups discussions and individual interviews were conducted with one to five participants per group, totaling 14 participants, to explore the following topics: knowledge of the HPV vaccine before and at diagnosis of cancer, whether they discussed the vaccine with anyone in their social networks, results of these discussions, and interventions thought to increase vaccine awareness. These focus group discussions were coded, and common themes were identified. Common themes included lack of knowledge of HPV, stigma of HPV as an STI, vaccine mistrust, healthcare advocacy, and suggestions on improving vaccination rates. These findings provide key actionable targets for improving HPV vaccination rates and awareness in the future.