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HPV-Cancer Putting it to rest
Dear Doctors,
I have read your posts on HPV and the risk of oral cancer, and wanted to put the matter to bed so to speak (at least in my mind).
From what I have read, I have gathered that you are of the view that it is very unlikely that a few episodes of male performing oral sex on a women will result in the male developing oral cancer. From your previous posts, I gather that your reasoning for this is based primarily on the fact that oropharangeal (spelling?) cancer is quite rare and given the large volume of oral sex going on, this means that the incidence of oral sex resuling in oral cancer must be very low.
My question is, is this the only primary reason that you feel this is an issue not worth worrying about? If there are other more "objective" reasons, could you provide links to studies or reports which provide this evidence?
For example, are there studies that show that the chance of acquiring oral HPV-16 is very low from oral sex, or studies that show that oral HPV-16 specifically is cleared at a 90% rate (I have read that the rate of clearance for HPV-16 is lower than other types), or studies that try to quantify the percentage of HPV-16 oral infection resulting in cancer?
Some sort of concrete evidence as to the extreme rarity of cancer occurence as a result of oral sex would really help put my mind at rest.
Also, i had my tonsils out when i was very young. Would this greatly reduce my chances of developing this sort of cancer?
I thank you for any information you can provide that will let me finally stop worrying about this for good. I am worried because i have performed oral sex on 6+ women in my life.
Many thanks
I have read your posts on HPV and the risk of oral cancer, and wanted to put the matter to bed so to speak (at least in my mind).
From what I have read, I have gathered that you are of the view that it is very unlikely that a few episodes of male performing oral sex on a women will result in the male developing oral cancer. From your previous posts, I gather that your reasoning for this is based primarily on the fact that oropharangeal (spelling?) cancer is quite rare and given the large volume of oral sex going on, this means that the incidence of oral sex resuling in oral cancer must be very low.
My question is, is this the only primary reason that you feel this is an issue not worth worrying about? If there are other more "objective" reasons, could you provide links to studies or reports which provide this evidence?
For example, are there studies that show that the chance of acquiring oral HPV-16 is very low from oral sex, or studies that show that oral HPV-16 specifically is cleared at a 90% rate (I have read that the rate of clearance for HPV-16 is lower than other types), or studies that try to quantify the percentage of HPV-16 oral infection resulting in cancer?
Some sort of concrete evidence as to the extreme rarity of cancer occurence as a result of oral sex would really help put my mind at rest.
Also, i had my tonsils out when i was very young. Would this greatly reduce my chances of developing this sort of cancer?
I thank you for any information you can provide that will let me finally stop worrying about this for good. I am worried because i have performed oral sex on 6+ women in my life.
Many thanks
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
No, probably not. But for the reasons already discussed, HPV related throat cancer is not something you should be worried about. Please re-read my responses above and concentrate on everything I said.
That is all for this thread. I will have no further comments or advice.
That is all for this thread. I will have no further comments or advice.
Doc, sorry, I dont completely understand your answer.
Would this treatment resolve oral hpv, thereby eradicating the (already very small) risk of hpv throat cancer?
Would this treatment resolve oral hpv, thereby eradicating the (already very small) risk of hpv throat cancer?
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
If it works as advertised, HPV DNA probably would not be eradicated. Looks like this might speed resolution of HPV related cellular abnormalities, however, and might be an important new treatment option. But probably not a cure.
Doc,
I thought you may be interested to read this very recent article which states that a cure may be on the horizon for HPV infections:
http://www.sciencenewsline.com/medicine/2011042713000024.html
What do you think of this?
I thought you may be interested to read this very recent article which states that a cure may be on the horizon for HPV infections:
http://www.sciencenewsline.com/medicine/2011042713000024.html
What do you think of this?
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
You got it. End of story, and end of this thread.
Ok, Doctor, so to sum up, there is absolutely no reason to be worried about either oral cancer or pharyngeal gonorrhea from having performed oral sex on a woman, and you do not recommend any testing of any sort?
Is that accurate?
Thanks again for taking the time to help me (and everyone else) with my worries.
Is that accurate?
Thanks again for taking the time to help me (and everyone else) with my worries.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
That's only a single study, and a rather minor one at that. Oral infection with the genital HPV types is clearly linked with oral sex. It may note be the only transmission route, but it's obviously an important one.
Oral sex on women carries little if any gonorrhea risk. The frequency of pharyngeal/oral gonorrhea is very low in heterosexual men, regardless of history of performing oral sex on women. In any case, most pharyngeal gonorrhea appears to clear up on its own within 2-3 months, is rarely transmitted to partners, and causes few complications.
Oral sex on women carries little if any gonorrhea risk. The frequency of pharyngeal/oral gonorrhea is very low in heterosexual men, regardless of history of performing oral sex on women. In any case, most pharyngeal gonorrhea appears to clear up on its own within 2-3 months, is rarely transmitted to partners, and causes few complications.
Thank you for your response Doctor, I did not mean to imply that you were simply shooting from the hip when you said that it is not anything to worry about - I was just wondering whether there were any specific studies on this. I have found some studies at the following link, which suggest that oral HPV is not connected to oral sex (which appears counter - intuitive).
http://www.hpvsupport.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=22&t=8129
If you dont mind, I have a quick unrelated question:
If my last oral exposure was about 4 months ago, what are the chances I have oral gonnarhea that is still asyptomatic? I have researched this issue on your other posts as well and have read that this infection usually clears up on its own - but what if doesnt? (i.e. what if just remains in your throat without symptoms?) What are the repurcussion/complications? Will there be adverse health consequences down the line, or will it, eventually inevitably clear up by itself?
In my part of the world, they dont do a test for oral gonnarhea.
Thanks again!
http://www.hpvsupport.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=22&t=8129
If you dont mind, I have a quick unrelated question:
If my last oral exposure was about 4 months ago, what are the chances I have oral gonnarhea that is still asyptomatic? I have researched this issue on your other posts as well and have read that this infection usually clears up on its own - but what if doesnt? (i.e. what if just remains in your throat without symptoms?) What are the repurcussion/complications? Will there be adverse health consequences down the line, or will it, eventually inevitably clear up by itself?
In my part of the world, they dont do a test for oral gonnarhea.
Thanks again!
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Welcome to the forum. Thanks for researching your question ahead of time.
As you have found, your questions and related ones have been discussed at some length on several occasions. I can't know what threads you actually have seen, but here are two, one of which contains links to still others.
http://www.medhelp.org/posts/STDs/HPV-and-oral-sex/show/1515473
http://www.medhelp.org/posts/STDs/Oral-HPV-Cancer-Risk/show/1512873
I don't agree with the implication that the reasons I have given for concluding the risk of oral cancer is low are not "objective" or "concrete". The simplest argument, however, is perhaps the most robust (as well as objective and concrete): with only somehwere around 10,000 cases per year of HPV-16 related pharyngeal cancer per year in the US, millions upon millions of oral sex events per year, and at any point in time a few million genital HPV-16 infections, it is obvious that the proportion of oral sex events that lead to such cancers is exceedingly small.
Data are scant or nonexistant on the actual frequency of oral HPV-16, the efficiency with which it is acquired by oral sex, other potential (nonsexual) transmission modes, and clearance rates. Ongoing and future research may address these issues someday. To my knowledge there are no data on whether childhood tonsillectomy further reduces the low risk of pharyngeal cancer, but my guess is it makes little or no difference.
My advice is that you seek a more realistic perspective on this issue. I think I recall a statistic that cancer causes about one third of all deaths in the US. On that basis, there is a good bet cancer is what will take you from this world someday, but if so it isn't likely to be pharyngeal. Colon/rectal, prostate, and lung cancers account for the lion's share of cancer deaths in males in the US; by comparison, pharyngeal cancer is very rare. Based on currently available knowledge, it isn't something to be worried about, regardless of oral sex exposures history. And in any case, I would view "oral sex on 6+ women" as a rather low number; I would give the same advice to someone with 100+ such events.
I hope this helps. Best wishes-- HHH, MD
As you have found, your questions and related ones have been discussed at some length on several occasions. I can't know what threads you actually have seen, but here are two, one of which contains links to still others.
http://www.medhelp.org/posts/STDs/HPV-and-oral-sex/show/1515473
http://www.medhelp.org/posts/STDs/Oral-HPV-Cancer-Risk/show/1512873
I don't agree with the implication that the reasons I have given for concluding the risk of oral cancer is low are not "objective" or "concrete". The simplest argument, however, is perhaps the most robust (as well as objective and concrete): with only somehwere around 10,000 cases per year of HPV-16 related pharyngeal cancer per year in the US, millions upon millions of oral sex events per year, and at any point in time a few million genital HPV-16 infections, it is obvious that the proportion of oral sex events that lead to such cancers is exceedingly small.
Data are scant or nonexistant on the actual frequency of oral HPV-16, the efficiency with which it is acquired by oral sex, other potential (nonsexual) transmission modes, and clearance rates. Ongoing and future research may address these issues someday. To my knowledge there are no data on whether childhood tonsillectomy further reduces the low risk of pharyngeal cancer, but my guess is it makes little or no difference.
My advice is that you seek a more realistic perspective on this issue. I think I recall a statistic that cancer causes about one third of all deaths in the US. On that basis, there is a good bet cancer is what will take you from this world someday, but if so it isn't likely to be pharyngeal. Colon/rectal, prostate, and lung cancers account for the lion's share of cancer deaths in males in the US; by comparison, pharyngeal cancer is very rare. Based on currently available knowledge, it isn't something to be worried about, regardless of oral sex exposures history. And in any case, I would view "oral sex on 6+ women" as a rather low number; I would give the same advice to someone with 100+ such events.
I hope this helps. Best wishes-- HHH, MD
You are reading content posted in the STDs Forum
Herpes spreads by oral, vaginal and anal sex.
Herpes sores blister, then burst, scab and heal.
STIs are the most common cause of genital sores.
Millions of people are diagnosed with STDs in the U.S. each year.
STDs can't be transmitted by casual contact, like hugging or touching.
Syphilis is an STD that is transmitted by oral, genital and anal sex.
