Prevalence of HPV associated oropharyngeal cancer among south Texans

Abstract

The goal of this study was to begin to assess the prevalence of oropharyngeal cancer among all oral cancers and thus the potential role of human papillomavirus (HPV) in this disease in the south Texas Region served by the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio (UTHSCSA), and University Health System (UHS) in San Antonio, Texas. This health system represents the largest catchment area for oral cancer serving the south Texas populations, extending from the U.S.-Mexico border, north to Williamson County, west to Eagle Pass, and east to Gonzales County. With the move towards electronic medical records (EMR) nationwide, our team conducted a feasibility study to answer this question utilizing electronic record coding data across both local networks.