How do you clear the HPV16 virus to prevent cancer recurrence?

new test shows still negative for HPV.

@blessed52
My dermatologist and PCP stated that once you have HPV there is nothing available to cure it or remove it. You can prevent it by a vaccine.

I was told almost everyone has it. It usually remains dormant but can resurface with immune problems, injuries, etc. I had gone through 30 rounds of radiation which caused fatigue and probably affected my immune system. I was told a recent SCC I had in a sore was most likely caused by HPV as was non sun area.

I have not heard of any supplements or OTCs that could help it keep dormant but would like that information if someone has it.

@ijones98280, sorry for the delay in replying. It is possible that you can work with Mayo Clinic's Integrative Oncology team while in care at another cancer center. Integrative medicine is complementary to the care you are receiving. I would contact Mayo to see if this might work for you. You can contact appointments to inquire, start here: http://mayocl.in/1mtmR63

It looks like Fred Hutch offers some integrative approaches too 🙂 https://www.fredhutch.org/en/patient-care/services/integrative-medicine.html

I have recently been diagnosed with stage 4 throat cancer. What is the HPV virus?

Hi @mars1651 Stage four, ouch! In answer to your question, the Human Papilloma Virus is a very common virus that almost every adult has. There are many variations of this virus and a lot of information can be gleamed from an internet search of HPV. As far as oral cancer including throat and most squamous cell cancers, if it can be determined that the cancer was the result of the virus by biopsy tests, particularly specific type test panels in area 16, 18, and a few others, then the treatment for the cancer can be specific and often rather successful in the long run. In short form we say HPV P16+ or HPV P18+ etc.
This HPV typing was first wrote about when I was going through my treatments over twenty-three years ago. It was discovered in Italy I believe and took at least ten years to be widely accepted in the oncology arena. Thankfully today if your care team knows that your cancer is HPV +, your treatments can be limited and targeted, and that's a good thing for you.
Find out all you can about what you are about to go through. Someone is here to help you understand what is going on from a patient's point of view, things the doctors don't tell you or have never experienced. When you come out on the other side perhaps you can pay it forward as well. When is your surgery and or treatment start?

From what my oncologist and the rest of my care team, HPV can't be cured. Subsequent internet searches have confirmed it.

For additional info. there are over 150 plus strains in the HPV (Human Papillomavirus) family and most of the body’s immune system typically eradicates the virus within two years 90% of the time and most strains of HPV go away permanently without treatment. Unfortunately, where it doesn’t, can cause health problems like cancer sometime down the road. Age is a risk factor for oropharyngeal cancer. It’s more common in older adults because it takes years to develop.

Also, 90% of all oral cancers today are now HPV-related and mostly are made up of men. Of all those HPV strains there are a few that cause cancer such as, HPV 16 & 18 are most commonly associated with development of cancer. The HPV 16 strain is strongly associated with throat cancer.

This may be helpful regarding reinfection and recurrence of HPV related cancer.

@dmanc
Thank you for the article. I did read it.

I think what I read was there was some evidence that vaccine injections could help with reinfection not eliminating HPV you already have. I do see now a real push to have young teens to get the vaccine to keep from getting infected at all.

Not a medical professional so really hard for me to read and understand studies like this so may have read it wrong.

In my case I think my HPV came back because of a reduction in my immune system and caused a SCC. In 2023 I had 30 rounds on proton radiation to treat prostate cancer. My R/Os told me raditation like chemo can affect immune system and fatique.

Then someone else on MCC posted that they were told their SCC occurred from immune system after radiation. So seems to be popping up as a possible cause of SCCs.

When you have treatments that affect your immune system it can allow the HPV to become active again. Why HPV is seeming to be causing SCCs in wounds past and present is something not explained to me.

Hopefully the farther I get away from my end of radiation treatments my immune system will be back to normal and won't have any more SCCs caused by the HPV. I have had about 8 basal cell cancer all contributed to sun damage. The SCC I got and was told by dermatologist was most likely related to HPV virus was in a non sun area and thus the explanation they believed caused by the HPV virus.

In either way they removed it and since then no additional SCCs or BCCs have been detected on biopsies taken of suspicious areas.
Thanks for the article

Hi @mars1651, may I ask what treatment you are on? How are you doing?