Oral sex linked to cancer of the mouth

Suday Herald (UK) ^ | unknown | Sarah-Kate Templeton

[Sangamon Kid]

Oral sex linked to cancer of the mouth

By Sarah-Kate Templeton

New research to be published next year will provide powerful evidence that oral sex can cause mouth cancer.

Doctors who first suggested a form of mouth cancer could be linked to the same sexually transmitted virus that causes cervical cancer have found more data to back their controversial theory. Two years ago, the group from Johns Hopkins University in the US published a paper suggesting the human papilloma virus (HPV), the cause of most cervical cancer, can also cause mouth cancer.

A new study, to be published in six months' time, will confirm this research, according to Dr Maura Gillison, an oncologist and member of the Johns Hopkins group. The news comes as Scottish mouth cancer experts are calling for research to be done here into the suspected link with oral sex.

David Soutar, president of the British Association of Head and Neck Oncologists, said: 'We were involved in a pilot study which suggested that this is certainly something that we should look into.

'It should be investigated further, particularly in people who don't have any of the risk factors such as smoking and drinking.

'One of the things that has interested me over the past 15 years is the increase in the number of women with oral cancer. It used to be five men to one woman but it is now about two men to one woman. What we do not know is whether this is all down to smoking.

'When I see the increase in women with oral cancer I think oral sex has to be one of the causes. We also have to find out why the age group suffering from oral cancer is becoming younger. Ideally, we would want to look at the under-45s.'

Mr Soutar, a consultant plastic surgeon at Canniesburn Hospital and the Nuffield Hospital, both in Glasgow, says it is difficult to find people willing to discuss their sexual behaviour, but says we have to consider the possibility sexually transmitted viruses are one of the causes.

Finding out whether HPV is a cause of mouth cancer is all the more pressing now that new treatments are being developed to fight cervical cancer. A vaccine to stop cervical cancer could become available within five years and doctors believe a similar vaccine could protect against some oral cancers.

The vaccine works by boosting the immune system against strains of HPV. The vaccine against cervical cancer will be targeted at girls of about 12 or 13, before they become sexually active and vulnerable to HPV.

But Soutar warns that, unlike cervical cancer where most forms of the disease are caused by HPV, the sexually transmitted virus could only be responsible for less than 20% of mouth cancer cases. He said targeting a vaccine would therefore be more difficult.

'If we could identify the sub-group this would be of benefit. We know smoking and drinking is probably the cause in 80% of cases so we couldn't use it in the same way as the vaccine against cervical cancer. This would only be a small proportion of those who have oral cancer.'

In the past decade in Scotland there has been an almost 50% increase in oral cancer among under-45s, and in the last 40 years a fourfold increase in younger patients suffering from it. Oral cancer affects 3000 people in the UK each year and the problem is worse north of the border.

www.omfsaboutface.co.uk/ aware.htm
www.cancerresearchuk.org

[Aracelis]

I'm telling you, expensive jewelry under the Christmas tree goes a long way ;)

Picking the right woman might help too ;-)

[fella]

Thanx alot. I just spewed the first beer after work all over my moniter. Now who's going to clean that mess up?

[Aracelis]

I don't know too many women who find it very fun. In those cases, oral sex is sinful because the activity is supposed to be mutually satisfying.

So sex is a chore for you and you lead an abysmally sheltered life, eh Terriergal??? Well, count me amongst the sinners then, my dear, because I enjoy the giving. There is nothing quite as satisfying as driving your partner to sheer ectasy...a feeling I doubt seriously you will ever have.

And for those with purient curiosity...yes, I am married and my husband is my only partner.

[Junior]

Sweetie, I have the perfect woman.

[kms61]

Reminiscent of that great old flick "No Time For Sergeants." New recruit Will Stockdale (Andy Griffith) is taking his psychiatric exam, and the psychiatrist only wants to ask him about sex. Will finally says, "Excuse my saying so, sir, but maybe you wouldn't get so worked up about girls if you'd go out with one sometime."

[general_re]

There's a rather unique phenomenon here in the US that perhaps you've noticed. For whatever reason, the people who are the quickest to offer unsolicited advice on child-rearing are your friends and acquaintances that are childless. Why do you think that is?

[FeliciaCat]

"Fellatio is a corruption of the sex act, and hence it is a sin against nature, as are all acts of sodomy. In fact, it is an even worse sin than pre-marital sexual intercourse, since the latter is merely a sin of passion. That's why Dante places sodomites, which include those who engage in fellatio, in a lower ring in Hell than those guilty of mere lust."


Wow. just....WOW.

[Mamzelle]

...what an entertaining thread...

re: Cervical cancer ( as well as fertility) is directly related to to the number of men depositing their bacteria in your cervical area, and as far as cancer also uncircumsized male sex partner

Good point about circumsision. The untrimmed male is quite a dirty lab of pathogens, this HPV included. Not to mention chlamidia and trichonosis, warts and herpes. A number of diseases are not harmful to the male, but are transmitted by him to the female.

If the writers of this study wanted to get really interesting, they could swab the uncircumcized as they mosey through the ERs for the presense of the virus and see if these men are significant carriers. They also should run a screen on local hookers, who make these particular intimacies their stock and trade.

[A2J]

Non-story unless you have another agenda.

It's also from England, which makes it automatically suspect.

[Celtic Conservative]

500 posts minimum, this little piece of internet bagatelle will go, IMHO .

---

Slainte,

CC

[longshadow]

For whatever reason, the people who are the quickest to offer unsolicited advice on child-rearing are your friends and acquaintances that are childless. Why do you think that is?

They're so damned busy telling everyone else what to do that they don't have the time to have any of their own?

;-)

[laredo44]

I was also told by a physician that even though it is possible to transmit HIV by Heterosexual sex contact, the man a majority of the time will not contract it while the women share a much higher chance of being infected.

Healthy heterosexuals almost NEVER transmit HIV.

[laredo44]

That's why Dante places sodomites, which include those who engage in fellatio, in a lower ring in Hell than those guilty of mere lust.

So you actually believe "The Inferno" is non-fiction?

[HELLRAISER II]

The trouble is how do you tell who is healthy & who is not? Unless of course you require a blood test before doing the deed.

[ken5050]

Maybe now, Monica Lewinski will get to do a Listerine commercial..

[N. Theknow]

Food for Thought

[laredo44]

The more partners, the more chance you're going to catch something.

Not necessarily true. It is likely that transmission is not accomplished in every act. Transmission requires an infected partner and the greater number of acts, the greater the probability of transmission. Those with steady parners likely participate in more acts than those without.

[laredo44]

The rythym method and Onanism are two different things. Onan was killed for withdrawing. The rythym method involves abstaining from intercourse on days when the woman is fertile. There is nothing wrong with the latter practice.

I honestly can't imagine why withdrawl is wrong but the rythym method is OK. Please explain.

[laredo44]

The trouble is how do you tell who is healthy & who is not? Unless of course you require a blood test before doing the deed.

Middle class heterosexuals are a good place to start. Not foolproof, mind you, but if you're looking for good odds...

[HELLRAISER II]

10-4 on that, I wouldn't go anywhere else but there. You would think that these people would learn that traveling that Hershey Highway brings you serious problems.