Oral Sex Linked to Throat Cancer

O

Orleander

OH JOY!!!!
Valued Senior Member
Is it 6 partners over a lifetime or six partners with-in a certain time frame?



A virus contracted through oral sex is the cause of some throat cancers, say US scientists.

HPV infection was found to be a much stronger risk factor than tobacco or alcohol use, the Johns Hopkins University study of 300 people found.

The New England Journal of Medicine study said the risk was almost nine times higher for people who reported oral sex with more than six partners.

But experts said a larger study was needed to confirm the findings.

HPV infection is the cause of the majority of cervical cancers, and 80% of sexually active women can expect to have an HPV infection at some point in their lives.

It is important for health care providers to know that people without the traditional risk factors of tobacco and alcohol use can nevertheless be at risk of oropharyngeal cancer

The Johns Hopkins study took blood and saliva from 100 men and women newly diagnosed with oropharyngeal cancer which affects the throat, tonsils and back of the tongue.

They also asked questions about sex practices and other risk factors for the disease, such as family history.

Those who had evidence of prior oral HPV infection had a 32-fold increased risk of throat cancer.

HPV16 - one of the most common cancer-causing strains of the virus - was present in the tumours of 72% of cancer patients in the study.

There was no added risk for people infected with HPV who also smoked and drank alcohol, suggesting the virus itself is driving the risk of the cancer.

Oral sex was said to be the main mode of transmission of HPV but the researchers said mouth-to-mouth transmission, for example through kissing, could not be ruled out. .....
 
Six in a lifetime seems doubtful. Everyone would be dead by now.

Orleander, I know you have a daughter; have you heard about that new HPV shot for young women that prevents most cervical cancers?
 
takandjive said:
...Orleander, I know you have a daughter; have you heard about that new HPV shot for young women that prevents most cervical cancers?
Click to expand...

she just turned 11. She will be getting it in the fall before she goes to Middle School. :) She will be having her physical and getting shots updated, so we thought we'd have it done all at once.
 
don't rule it in either. Remember mad cow paranoia. This may be relevent, but still... too much paranoia is too much. If there's an effective way to control it without killing your sex life, ok. But blind fear is too much.
 
Ok, wait. The study states that it's more than 6 partners, but I think they are referring to the fact that you are more likely to have contracted HPV (which is the cause of the cancer) after having performed oral sex on more than 6 partners. That is lifetime. Obviously the more partners you have, the higher your risk of contact with infectious diseases.
 
Exterminate!!! said:
don't rule it in either. Remember mad cow paranoia. This may be relevent, but still... too much paranoia is too much. If there's an effective way to control it without killing your sex life, ok. But blind fear is too much.
Click to expand...

It isn't blind fear, most cases of HPV are completely harmless and people don't even know that they have them. This would just be another reason to give the HPV vaccine to boys as well as girls. People know that they can get HIV from having sex, but it hasn't stopped them from having sex, but if it scares more people into using condoms then that's a good thing isn't it?
 
Orleander said:
Oral sex was said to be the main mode of transmission of HPV but the researchers said mouth-to-mouth transmission, for example through kissing, could not be ruled out. .....
Click to expand...

That doesn't make sense. If the virus comes from genital warts, how can it be spread by kissing mouth to mouth?
 
if you lick them (and who would???) then kiss the person, they may have it in their mouth. Then they kiss someone and pass it on that way.

Is that how herpes became oral/genital?
 
Hi,

Every year, more people are getting infected by HPV. HPV can cause genital warts and cancer. Although there is a vaccine for HPV-16 that shows promise, there are still strains that can cause cancer and warts. This makes the need for other HPV treatments even more important. In order to prevent HPV and cervical cancer, it is important to get tested for HPV first. The best treatment for HPV is prevention. The most effective is to enter into a monogamous relationship with someone who does not have HPV.
 
orleander im sure i posted a thread on this (not sure if yours came first or mine:p), this was one of the reasons which argues for the "cervical cancer vacine" being given to boys
 
My cousin had mouth cancer after going down on a girl that had HPV. It's always smart to get tested and make sure everything is alright down south.
 
takandjive said:
Six in a lifetime seems doubtful. Everyone would be dead by now.

Orleander, I know you have a daughter; have you heard about that new HPV shot for young women that prevents most cervical cancers?
Click to expand...

they are asking perants of older girls in school age (15+) to have the HPV injection at school, but doesnt the injection have side effects? If so what are they?
 
Orleander said:
HPV infection was found to be a much stronger risk factor than tobacco or alcohol use, the Johns Hopkins University study of 300 people found.
Click to expand...

So this is another reason to vaccinate as many people as possible against HPV.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
takandjive said:
Six in a lifetime seems doubtful. Everyone would be dead by now.
Click to expand...
Throat cancer is pretty rare. Even if having the virus increases your odds of getting it by a factor of nine as stated in the OP, it's still very unlikely that you will get it. Also, most people don't develop throat cancer until they are well over the age of 60 anyway, which is another reason why oral sex hasn't killed us all yet.
 
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