Expert to discuss HPV-related cancer epidemic

Erich Sturgis
November 07, 2014

While the human papillomavirus is known to cause cervical cancers through sexual transmission, few realize that HPV is also strongly associated with head and neck cancers in men.

Cancer expert Erich Sturgis from the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston will speak about the HPV-associated cancer epidemic at 10 a.m., Nov. 12, in the auditorium at the Biodesign Institute at ASU.

Sturgis is concerned about the increasing rise in HPV-related throat cancers among men and about boys not receiving HPV vaccines.

“Presently the vaccine is not recommended for boys, and so we have a population of boys who are going to be at risk for these cancers of the throat in the future because of misinformation,” Sturgis said.

Watch the MD Anderson Cancer Center video “HPV and Men.”

Sturgis is professor in the Department of Head and Neck Surgery and the Department of Epidemiology at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. His research interests are phenotypic and genotypic markers of genetic susceptibility, epidemiology of head and neck cancer, and genetic susceptibility to thyroid and salivary gland malignancies.

He joined the MD Anderson Cancer Center team in 1997, and in 2000 he completed a fellowship in molecular epidemiology of head and neck cancer and a clinical fellowship in head and neck oncologic surgery. He has received the Faculty Teaching Award from the Head and Neck Surgery fellows several times and is frequently acknowledged as an accomplished technical instructor.

Sturgis is well-published in his area of expertise. In addition, he has served or remains a member of several editorial boards, including the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Cancer, Head and Neck, ENT Today and The Laryngoscope.

The seminar, titled The HPV-associated Cancer Epidemic and Our Path Forward, is free and open to the public, but seats are limited. This seminar is part of the Biodesign Discovery Series.

Can’t attend? Watch it live via webcast or on demand after Nov. 20.