HPV, Oral Sex, and Throat Cancer
A case-control study published in today’s New England Journal of Medicine looks at drinking, tobacco and marijuana use, number of sex partners, oral hygiene, family history of cancer, and oropharyngeal (throat) HPV exposure/infection and whether any of these things are possibly associated with risk of throat cancer. The authors compared patients from a study of newly diagnosed head and neck cancers at an otolaryngology (ear, nose & throat) clinic, including only those with “oropharyngeal squamous-cell carcinoma,” comparing them to patients seen at the same clinic for benign (non-cancerous) conditions who didn’t have a history of cancer.
Note: I may update this post after I get a chance to more thoroughly review the study’s methods and findings, but I wanted to get the information out there.
The researchers found a strong association between number of vaginal sex and oral sex partners and the throat cancer, with those with a higher number of partners seeming to be at greater risk. They also found a strong association between oral HPV-16 exposure or HPV infection and risk of throat cancer. Likewise, heavy alcohol, marijuana, and tobacco use was associated with greater risk of cancer.
HPV-16 is one of the strains covered by the existing Gardasil vaccine. The authors state, “Our data suggest that oral HPV infection is sexually acquired. Oral–genital contact was strongly associated with oropharyngeal cancer, but we cannot rule out transmission through direct mouth-to-mouth contact or other means.” *Shudder*
The New England Journal of Medicine article is freely available online, and the Washinton Post also has a piece on it. The WP article indicates that “The type of oral cancer linked to HPV strikes about 11,000 Americans each year, which is about the same as the number of women in whom cervical cancer is diagnosed.”
Citation: D’Souza G, Kreimer AR, Viscidi R, Pawlita M, Fakhry C, Koch WM, Westra WH, Gillison ML. Case-control study of human papillomavirus and oropharyngeal cancer. N Engl J Med. 2007 May 10; 356(19):1944-1956.
Thanks for sharing this news and raising awareness. Previous studies have indicated that approximately 25 percent of oral cancers are secondary to infection with the HPV virus, particularly HPV 16. While this sparks debate over whether or not males should be vaccinated as well, their are measures individuals can take now to lower their risk. Just as we recommend women get annual PAP smears, we should encourage men and women equally to see their dentists every six months to screen for oral cancer. In addition, a diet high in fruits and vegetables has been shown to lower the risk of infection with HPV progressing to cancer.
Lynne Eldridge M.D.
Author, “Avoiding Cancer One Day At A Time: Practical Advice for Preventing Cancer”
http://www.avoidcancernow.com
I can’t add a thing to what Dr. Eldridge has advised, so I’ll just go on record as permently changing your name in my blogroll as “Debbie Downer.”
Mack,
That better be “Debbie Downer, Blogress, MLIS.”
Oh, man, you really did it.
I would have preferred… “Hung like Einstein, smart as a mule.”
Shit.
You can’t win ‘em all.
Holy crap. Not good news.
(points at Mack and Rachel and laughs) :p
That was hilarious.
I was just diagnosed with stage 4, regionally advanced throat cancer and am undergoing radiation and immunotherapy. I have never smoked, rarely drank, and was in total shock at the diagnosis. Since then this information about the link between oral sex and these cancers of the mouth and throat. I wish either that a vaccine had been available when I was young, or that I had been aware of the risks of oral sex. This information really needs to be OUT THERE.