摘要：

A subtype of head and neck cancer (HNC) characterized by infection with human papillomavirus (HPV) is clinically and molecularly distinct from classical HNC. In general these tumors arise in younger patients and respond better to therapy, while also expressing wild-type tumor suppressor proteins. Owing to these observations, efforts are currently being made to understand HPV+ HNC biology to improve clinical treatment regimens and develop novel therapeutic agents. To best predict which treatment strategies and novel therapeutics will have the most impact in patient care, a working understanding of how the HPV arsenal of oncogenes manipulates and transforms cells is crucial. This chapter will highlight the most important and clinically interesting cellular targets of the HPV oncogenes; the mechanisms by which the viral oncogenes subvert cell cycle checkpoints, DNA repair, immune surveillance, and cell death to promote malignant transformation; and promising future therapeutic options to target the functions of HPV oncogenes.

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