高危型人乳头瘤病毒（HPV）可能引发多种癌症，公认的如宫颈癌和宫颈上皮内瘤变。近年来的研究表明，HPV还与头颈部,鳞癌、食道癌及乳房癌等的发生密切相关。HPV引起头颈部肿瘤的机制在某种程度上与宫颈癌相似，但又有不同。因此，阐明HPV的致癌机制对于HPV相关肿瘤的治疗具有重要意义。

High-risk types of human papillomavirus (HPV) may cause various tumors. The causative link between high-risk HPV and cervical cancer has been well elucidated. Recent studies have shown that HPV DNA is detectable in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), esophageal carcinoma, as well as breast cancer. The mechanisms underlying HPV infection in HNSCC may be similar but not identical to that in cervical cancer. Understanding the mechanisms underlying HPV-associated carcinogenesis will be important for the HPV-associated tumor therapy.