Oral sex putting men at risk for throat cancer
October 21st, 2010 - 4:40 pm ICT by ANIWashington, Oct 21 (ANI): HPV or the human papilloma virus has been associated with cervical cancer in women but a new study says that the virus may be contributing to an increasing number of cases of head and neck cancers in men in Europe.
According to the new research, sexual behaviors like earlier sex, more partners and especially oral sex are contributing to a new epidemic of orpharyngeal squamous cell cancers, those of the throat, tonsils and base of the tongue.
“We expect in head and neck cancers that 85 percent are men and 15 percent are women,” ABC News quoted Dr. John Deeken, a medical oncologist at Georgetown University as saying.
“But over the coming years that could become equal,” he added.
HPV is the most common sexually transmitted infection, passed through genital contact through vaginal and anal sex. It can also be transmitted during oral sex and, more rarely, during deep kissing through saliva.
HPV can also cause cancers of the vulva, vagina, penis and anus, and there is some evidence it is associated with esophageal and lung cancers.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the use of Gardasil, the vaccine, for girls in 2006 and for boys for treatment of genital and anal warts in 2009.
However, doctors caution that there is a lack of public awareness of its role in preventing cancer.
Oral sex has become more commonplace; people have more sex partners and have sex earlier in life — all behaviors linked to HPV-related oral cancers, according to a study in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Emerging Infectious Diseases report. (ANI)
- Rise in mouth cancer cases in Britain due to oral sex - Mar 16, 2012
- Oral sex, HPV puts non-smoking US men at highest risk for oral cancer - Apr 19, 2011
- Shot for preventing genital warts works in men - Feb 06, 2011
- Oral sex bigger cause of throat cancer than tobacco - Feb 21, 2011
- Circumcision Lowers Chances Of HPV Risk In Women, Study Says - Jan 09, 2011
- HPV vaccine also works for boys: Study - Feb 05, 2011
- Oral sex, not tobacco is 'main cause of throat cancer' - Feb 21, 2011
- How virus triggers cervical and mouth cancer - Dec 15, 2010
- HPV infection 'increases skin cancer risk' - Jul 09, 2010
- Circumcision Lowers HPV Risk In Women, Says Survey - Jan 08, 2011
- Smoking and radiation therapy for head, neck cancers don't mix - Nov 17, 2010
- Oral tongue cancer increasing in young, white females: US study - Mar 09, 2011
- Mums play key role in convincing daughters to receive HPV vaccine - Jan 04, 2011
- Widely used HIV drug could help prevent cervical cancer - May 04, 2011
- Catherine Zeta-Jones at cancer risk? - Sep 12, 2010
Tags: abc news, anal warts, cancer in women, centers for disease control and prevention, cervical cancer, disease control and prevention, emerging infectious diseases, food and drug administration, food and drug administration fda, georgetown university, hpv, human papilloma virus, lung cancers, medical oncologist, neck cancers, oral cancers, sexual behaviors, squamous cell cancers, throat cancer, vagina penis