Although tonsillar cancer is the most common cancer caused by HPV, removal of the tonsils in patients with papilloma is probably not indicated. The type of HPV viruses which causes papillomas are HPV-6 and HPV-11 but tumors are associated with HPV-16 and HPV-18. In addition, a tonsillectomy is not a risk free surgery and should not be undertaken lightly. If the patient still wishes to be considered for a tonsillectomy, removal of the papilloma and serotyping the virus is indicated.