Photo is unrelated to the article / Photo = Getty Image Bank Along with foreign media reporting that the number of cases diagnosed with oral cancer in the UK is increasing, a case of a woman in her 40s living in Australia with oropharyngeal cancer was introduced.
According to the British Daily Mail, a recent survey by the British Oral Health Foundation found that the number of oral cancer cases per year was more than 10,000, a 133% increase over the past 20 years.
“Oral cancer continues to soar,” the foundation warned, adding that although smoking and excessive drinking remain important risk factors, an increasing number of cases are linked to human papillomavirus (HPV).
HPV is usually transmitted through sexual intercourse and causes cervical cancer, anal cancer, and genital warts. Infection of the oral mucosa through oral sex increases the incidence of oropharyngeal cancer among head and neck cancers. Cancer Research UK also reports that “HPV infection is considered the main cause of oral and throat cancer, and 70% of oral and throat cancer cases are caused by HPV.”
The media introduced the case of a woman who actually contracted oropharyngeal cancer due to sexual contact. Joe Murray (46), who lives in Sydney, Australia, felt pain in his throat every time he swallowed in 2019. Murray thought it was just a sore throat, but he found a small lump in his neck and had it examined. As a result, Murray was diagnosed with cancer that had spread to his tonsils, base of tongue, and left lymph nodes. It was oropharyngeal cancer caused by HPV.
Murray emphasized, “After I was diagnosed, I learned about HPV. Because HPV is sexually transmitted, I realized that many people don’t talk about it. Talking about sex shouldn’t be something to be ashamed of.” Even though HPV can affect not only cervical cancer but also head and neck cancer, he pointed out that information related to HPV is not shared well due to the tendency to taboo conversations about sex.
The head and neck region refers to the area between the bottom of the brain and the top of the chest. Head and neck cancer refers to all cancers that occur in the oral cavity, nasal cavity, larynx, oropharynx, hypopharynx, nasopharynx, thyroid gland, and salivary glands, excluding the eyes, brain, ears, and esophagus. Representative cancers include laryngeal cancer, oral cancer, tonsil cancer, pharynx cancer, and salivary gland cancer.
The main cause of head and neck cancer is smoking. It is known that smokers have a two to three times higher incidence of head and neck cancer than non-smokers. Drinking alcohol is also a major factor. If men drink more than three times the recommended daily amount and women drink more than twice the recommended amount per day, the chance of developing head and neck cancer increases.
Recently, ‘HPV’ has also been considered a factor in head and neck cancer. HPV is usually transmitted through sexual intercourse. Infection of the oral mucosa through oral sex can increase the incidence of oropharyngeal cancer among head and neck cancers. In addition, gastroesophageal reflux disease, esophageal disease, and continuous physical stimulation of the head and neck are also known to be risk factors for head and neck cancer.
If you experience symptoms such as hoarseness that lasts for more than 6 weeks, oral ulcers that do not heal for more than 3 weeks, red and white spots on the oral mucosa, and swallowing difficulties that last more than 3 weeks, it is best to visit a hospital and receive treatment.
Jang Ji-min, Hankyung.com guest reporter [email protected]
