Several strains of HPV can cause oral papilloma, with some increasing the risk of oral cancer. Non-cancerous papillomas can appear on the lips, cheeks, tongue, or throat and typically require no treatment. Treatment for cancerous papillomas may include surgical removal. HPV can be contracted through oral sex or mouth-to-mouth contact and can develop into cancer, especially in high-risk patients who smoke or use excessive alcohol. A vaccine is available for girls to protect against HPV.
Several subtypes of the human papilloma virus (HPV) could cause oral papilloma, with some forms of the virus increasing the risk of oral cancer. Identified as HPV-16, HPV-18, HPV-31 and HPV-45, these common strains of the virus are spread through oral sex or mouth-to-mouth contact with an infected person and could develop into oral cancer. Two other types of oral papilloma, listed as HPV-6 and HPV-11, represent non-cancerous forms of infection, typically requiring no treatment,
Noncancerous oral papillomas can appear on the lips, inner cheeks, tongue, or throat. These growths typically consist of a single wart that might look red, pink, or white, resembling a small piece of cauliflower. These papillomas begin in the squamous cells, which also appear in the digestive tract, nose, eyes, and esophagus. Squamous cell papillomas typically resolve without treatment, without spreading or growing.
HPV-16 and HPV-18 show an increased risk of developing mouth cancer. About three-quarters of patients with this strain of the virus who get oral cancer smoke tobacco. Alcohol consumption also increases the risks. Lesions or warts could appear in the throat or nose before spreading through the bloodstream or lymph nodes. Some tumors may grow so large that they restrict breathing.
Laryngeal papillomatosis defines another type of oral papilloma, which rarely becomes malignant. Benign growths can develop throughout the mouth and respiratory system, including the throat, nose, and lungs. This condition most commonly occurs in very young children and could be passed on from an infected mother during childbirth. As one of the first signs of this disorder, your voice may change from growths on your vocal cords.
Treatment varies, but might include surgical removal of an oral papilloma that’s making it difficult to swallow or breathe. Doctors usually advise patients to rest their voice when the vocal cords show growths. These warts often cause no problems and are barely visible.
There is no cure for human papillomavirus, the most common sexually transmitted disease, which typically occurs in moist areas of the body, including the vagina, cervix, penis, and mouth. The cells in the mouth mimic the skin cells in the genital areas where HPV thrives. Warts by themselves do not represent cancer, but they could develop into cancer, especially in high-risk patients who smoke or use excessive alcohol. A vaccine developed for girls could protect them from contracting HPV when they become sexually active.
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