Increase in Oropharyngeal Cancers Statistics Canada published a report on cancer rates in Canada for 2020, the first year of the COVID-19 lockdowns. Rates were lower for many commonly diagnosed cancers, but there was a significant increase in oropharyngeal cancers. “Compared to the average rates between 2015 and 2019, it was up 13.9% in 2020,” says Dr. Firoozeh Samim. “And when you look at the last 20 years, rates are up more than 200%, which means that health care practitioners who care for the oral cavity need to be on high alert.” Dr. Firoozeh Samim is a specialist in oral medicine and oral maxillofacial pathology and assistant professor atMcGill’s Faculty of DentalMedicine and Oral Health Sciences. Oropharynx cancers include cancers found in the soft palate, base of tongue, lingual and palatine tonsils, and surrounding tissues. Dr. Samim notes that the lateral border of the tongue is often where she sees ulcers in her patients. According to Dr. Samim, the traditional risk factors of smoking and alcohol have decreased in recent years. “The rise in oropharyngeal cancer has an etiology related to the human papillomavirus (HPV),” she says. “Research shows that about 70% of these cancers are caused by a specific strain called HPV16.”
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