Researchers have advanced a cancer vaccine to human trials as part of pioneering research aimed at treating incurable HPV cancers of the head, neck, throat and tongue.

The research combines a newly developed Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine with immunotherapy and is being spearheaded by Professor Ian Frazer and Brisbane's Princess Alexandra Hospital's Professor Sandro Porceddu.

"We are seeing an unprecedented rise in the incidence of HPV-associated oropharyngeal cancer (OPC) with the USA reporting a 225 per cent increase since the 1980s," Professor Porceddu said.