The global incidence of head and neck cancer (HNC) is about 660,000 cases, with a mortality of 325,000 patients annually. 1 Tobacco consumption (smoking and smokeless) has contributed to an increased incidence of HNC (6.1 per 100,000 women and 20.9 per 100,000 men) in the Indian subcontinent, accounting for one-third of the global burden. 2 The recent increase in HNC in nonsmoking, nonalcoholic young individuals is primarily attributed to mucosal high-risk human papillomavirus (HR-HPV) infection. 3 Though Zur Hausen reported the oncogenic