Oropharyngeal cancer is a disease in which
malignant cells form in the tissue of oropharynx. The oropharynx is the middle part of the throat that includes the base of the tongue, the tonsils, the soft
palate, and the walls of the
pharynx. Oropharyngeal cancers can be divided into two types,
HPV-positive, which are related to
human papillomavirus infection, and HPV-negative cancers, which are usually linked to alcohol or tobacco use.