Lack of public awareness of a 'new cancer epidemic' is causing lasting damage to patients, a symposium on head and neck cancer in NUI Galway was told this weekend.

Prof Ivan Keogh, Head of the Academic Department of Otorhinolaryngology at NUI Galway, said head and neck cancers linked to the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) are rising dramatically and are projected to be higher than the number of cervical cancers by 2020.

The meeting heard calls for HPV virus vaccination to be extended to boys in order to meet this new cancer threat.

"There is a changing nature in the cause of head and neck cancers from traditional heavy smoking and drinking use to HPV. While the survival rate for the latter if very good, these cancers are very disfiguring," Prof Keogh told the meeting.

He said often, treated patients had swallowing and speech problems.

"We need an awareness campaign so that individuals, as well as their GPs and dentists are made aware of the early symptoms", said Prof Keogh, who addded that he had seen first-hand the numbers of cases rise dramatically in his clinic.

The meeting was told that major research on the role of HPV in head and neck cancers will provide the first population-based data on the incidence of HPV infection in head and neck cancer in Ireland.

In Ireland, head and neck cancers are the sixth most common cancer in men and the 16th most common in women.

With the incidence of HPV-related head and neck cancer more likely to occur in men than women it raises the debate about vaccinating boys against this sexually-transmitted virus, as is now taking place in Australiam the symposium was told.

The symposium was organised by NUI Galway's Academic Department of Otorhinolaryngology and School of Economics.