Oral Sex and Oral Cancer: What's the Link?

Every year, about 18, 000 Americans get diagnosed with oropharyngeal cancer. This type of head and neck cancer is more common in people ages 50 to 80. But now, it’s affecting younger folks because it can be linked to the human papillomavirus (HPV). A British surgeon who works on head, neck, and thyroid issues pointed out that having oral sex with six or more partners can increase the risk of this cancer by up to 8. 5 times. That’s because HPV can be transferred during oral sex. Oropharyngeal cancer develops in the middle part of the throat, behind the mouth. Symptoms include a sore throat that won’t go away, trouble swallowing, problems moving the tongue, weight loss, ear pain, and even a bad cough with blood. To treat this cancer, doctors often use radiation therapy, chemo, or surgery. If the cancer is caused by HPV, the good news is that about 70% of patients can live five years or longer after they’re diagnosed. Let's go back to HPV. There are over 200 strains, and some can lead to genital warts or cervical cancer. In the US, HPV is the most common sexually transmitted infection, with over 42 million people having a type that causes disease. Every year, there are at least 13 million new infections. Dr. Hisham Mehanna from the University of Birmingham in the UK explains that most people fight off HPV infections. But a few can’t, and the virus might cause cancer if it sticks around. What can we do? Vaccination is a great start. Doctors recommend it for both boys and girls, starting as early as 9 years old. Catch-up shots are available up to age 27 for those who didn’t get vaccinated earlier. Although some people have concerns about HPV vaccines, health experts say they’re safe and effective. In the US, about 61% of teens are up to date with the vaccine series.