Since most people are able to recover completely from HPV infection, very few of them develop oropharyngeal cancer.
According to a study discussed in The Conversation, 80 percent of adults in the UK who underwent tonsillectomy for non-cancerous reasons had had oral sex at some point in their lives.
Oral sex is now the leading risk factor for throat cancer, overtaking smoking and drinking in some countries. This alarming trend has been linked to human papillomavirus (HPV), which is also the main cause of cervical cancer. In the US and UK, oropharyngeal cancer – the type that affects the tonsils and the back of the throat – has become more prevalent than cervical cancer. According to a study addressed in The Conversation, 80 percent of adults in the UK undergoing tonsillectomy for non-cancer reasons had had oral sex at some point in their lives. However, very few of them develop oropharyngeal cancer, as most people are able to clear the HPV infection completely.
The good news is that HPV vaccination for young girls has been implemented in many countries to prevent cervical cancer. There is growing evidence that it may also be effective in preventing HPV infection in the mouth. Several countries, including the UK, Australia and the US, have also expanded their national recommendations for HPV vaccination to include young boys.
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“There is also some evidence that boys are protected by “herd immunity” in countries where girls have higher vaccine coverage (over 85 percent). Taken together, it is expected that oropharyngeal cancer may decline in a few decades,” reported the study. It added, “This is well and good from a public health perspective, but only if coverage among girls is high—more than 85 percent, and only if one lives within a ‘herd’.”
However, universal vaccination policies do not guarantee coverage, as there is a significant proportion of some populations who are resistant to HPV vaccination. This, combined with a growing tendency toward vaccine hesitancy, may contribute to decreased vaccine use. Interestingly, the study also finds that population-based research suggests that young adults may engage in oral sex as an alternative to vaginal intercourse, possibly as a way of avoiding it.
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As always, dealing with populations and behavior is complicated. The pandemic has brought its own challenges, with young people unable to receive vaccinations in schools for some time. But with continued efforts to increase awareness and improve vaccine access, there is hope that we can reduce the incidence of oropharyngeal cancer in the future.
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