Oral Sex Increases the Risk of Throat Cancer
Posted by admin May 14, 2007
Categories: Cancer, Cervical Cancer, Disease Information, HPV, Men's Health, Oropharyngeal/Throat Cancer, Reproductive Health, Research, Sexual Health, Social Issues, Women's Health
Categories: Cancer, Cervical Cancer, Disease Information, HPV, Men's Health, Oropharyngeal/Throat Cancer, Reproductive Health, Research, Sexual Health, Social Issues, Women's Health
A study published in the New England Journal found out that the same virus that causes cervical cancer, which is the human papillomavirus or HPV, increases the risk of throat cancer for both men and women engaging in oral sex.
The study involved 100 patients with throat cancer and 200 without it, found that those infected with the human papillomavirus (HPV) were 32 times as likely to develop one form of oral cancer than those free of the virus. This makes it clear that oral HPV infection is a risk factor for throat cancer. The research suggests that unprotected oral sex is a major reason people are contracting throat cancer — not just smoking and excessive alcohol consumption, as previously believed.
