The human papillomavirus (HPV) is most commonly associated with cervical cancer. Now, a recent study links HPV with throat cancers.
Since 2000 researchers have believed a link exists, but they have not understood behaviors that connect the two and why some people were at greater risk.
The study was performed by Maura Gillison of Hopkins’ Kimmel Cancer Center. She and her colleagues looked at 100 men and women newly diagnosed with oropharyngeal cancer. They found that those infected with the human papillomavirus (HPV) were 32 times more likely to develop one form of oral cancer than those free of the virus. When researchers looked at sexual history of the participants, they found those who reported having oral sex with more than 6 different people were at an 8.6-times greater risk of developing the HPV-related cancer. They saw no increased risk for people who smoke or drank alcohol.
Oral HPV can be transmitted by a number of ways such as skin contact and through urine, saliva, semen and mucus in the genital tract. The main mode of transit, though, is oral sex.
Among the study participants who had oropharyngeal (cancer of the tonsils, back of the tongue and throat) cancers, 72 percent showed the presence of HPV 16. People with antibodies in their blood indicating prior HPV infection were 58 times more likely to develop oral cancer than the general population, was even greater than the link between high cholesterol and heart attacks.
There are currently no screening methods for oral cancers aside from visual inspection by a dentist although some believe a — swish and spit test is feasible down the road.
Oral cancer remains relatively uncommon and has a good survival rate at five years.
Maura Gillison Lead author of study is also working with the makers of the highly publicized HPV vaccine, Gardasil to determine its effectiveness in stopping oral cancers.
The study published in The New England Journal of Medicine.
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