Dr. Jose P. Zevallos on Molecular Testing for Smokers With HPV+ Oropharyngeal SCC
Zevallos says that while HPV-positive oropharyngeal SCC has a positive outcome for patients, smoking status should be taken into account for these patients when making a decision to deintensify therapy.
Jose P. Zevallos, MD, MPH, FACS, assistant professor, director of Oncologic Research, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, discusses the inequality of HPV-positive oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). Zevallos says that while HPV-positive oropharyngeal SCC has a positive outcome for patients, smoking status should be taken into account for these patients when making a decision to deintensify therapy. He adds that medical professionals should not set an "arbitrary" bar for how much a patient smokes as a "dangerous amount," but instead turn to molecular testing.
