According to a British expert, oral sex is the leading “risk factor” for oropharyngeal cancer, a specific kind of throat cancer affecting the tonsils and back of the throat. Dr. Hisham Mehanna, a professor at the University of Birmingham’s Institute of Cancer and Genomic Sciences, wrote in The Conversation that in recent decades, there has been a “rapid increase” in throat cancer, possibly amounting to an “epidemic” in the West, with the main cause being human papillomavirus (HPV). This sexually transmitted virus is also the leading cause of cervical cancer. Those with six or more lifetime oral-sex partners are 8.5 times more likely to develop oropharyngeal cancer than those who do not practice oral sex, Mehanna said. While most adults in the UK practice oral sex at some point in their lives, only a small number develop cancer, with a prevailing theory suggesting that most people can catch HPV infections and clear them completely. However, Mehanna warned that the virus is able to replicate continuously in people who are unable to clear it, integrating at random positions into the host’s DNA, some of which can cause host cells to become cancerous. The highly-effective HPV vaccine is widely available and recommended for girls to prevent cervical cancer. However, Mehanna suggested that young boys should also receive the vaccine as a preventative measure. The increase in oropharyngeal cancer could be mitigated by practicing safer sex and being vaccinated against the virus, he added.
