# HPV-associated oropharyngeal cancer staging (AJCC chapter 10)

Source: https://onco.cc/terms/hpv-oropharynx-staging/  
OnCo record `hpv-oropharynx-staging` (Term). Data CC BY-NC 4.0, attribute "Data from OnCo (onco.cc)"; commercial use needs a licence.

## TL;DR

Throat cancer caused by HPV has its own staging, with fewer and lower stages than HPV-negative throat cancer, because it carries a better outlook at the same size and spread.

## Summary

AJCC chapter 10 covers HPV-mediated (p16-positive) oropharyngeal cancer; the AJCC 2026 table lists a Version 9 protocol, Oropharynx (HPV-Associated), for 2026. The NCI's summary uses separate stages for HPV-positive cancer, stages I to IV with no stage 0, and for HPV-negative cancer, stages 0 to IV; HPV-positive cancer has a better prognosis and is treated differently. In the HPV-positive system, stage IV means spread to other parts of the body such as lung or bone. The stage descriptions are those in the National Cancer Institute's PDQ summary, which follows the AJCC tables. Check which version a report uses.

## Fields

- Kind: Term
- Last checked: 2026-11-04
- Also known as: HPV-positive oropharyngeal cancer staging; p16-positive oropharyngeal cancer staging; HPV oropharynx staging

## Sources

- National Cancer Institute, Oropharyngeal cancer treatment (PDQ), patient version: stages: https://www.cancer.gov/types/head-and-neck/patient/adult/oropharyngeal-treatment-pdq
- American College of Surgeons, AJCC Current Staging System 2026 (which chapters are 8th edition and which Version 9): https://www.facs.org/media/c5ik5tkr/ajcc-current-staging-system-2026.pdf

## Connected records

- terms: [AJCC Version 9 staging](https://onco.cc/terms/ajcc-version-9/), [Disease-specific staging and risk systems (FIGO, Ann Arbor, IPI, R-ISS, ELN, IMDC)](https://onco.cc/terms/staging-systems/), [HPV status (HPV-positive / HPV-negative)](https://onco.cc/terms/hpv-status/), [HPV-positive (p16) head and neck cancer](https://onco.cc/terms/hpv-p16/), [TNM staging](https://onco.cc/terms/tnm-staging/)
- cancers: [Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma](https://onco.cc/cancers/head-and-neck/), [Oropharyngeal cancer (tonsil and base of tongue)](https://onco.cc/cancers/oropharyngeal-cancer/)

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