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February 20th, 2011
02:04 PM ET
Yes, oral sex is sex, and it can boost cancer riskHere's a crucial message for teens: Oral sex carries many of the same risks as vaginal sex, including human papilloma virus, or HPV. And HPV may now be overtaking tobacco as the leading cause of oral cancers in America in people under age 50. "Adolescents don’t think oral sex is something to worry about," said Bonnie Halpern-Felsher professor of pediatrics at the University of California, San Francisco. "They view it as a way to have intimacy without having 'sex.'" Halpern-Felsher and other researchers presented the latest information about the risks of contracting an HPV infection Sunday at the American Association for the Advancement of Science annual meeting. The latest data suggest that 64% of oropharynx cancers - growing in the middle part of the throat - in the United States are caused by HPV, which is more than tobacco causes, said Maura Gillison of Ohio State University. And as the number of partners on whom you have performed oral sex goes up, the risk of oropharnyx cancer goes up. About 37,000 people per year receive a diagnosis of oral cancer, according to the Oral Cancer Foundation. Just about everyone has had at least one of the 130 strains of HPV. The vaccines currently available, Gardasil and Cervarix, only protect against a few of them. But not all of the strains are cancer-causing. Certain types cause warts on the hands and feet that are benign. About 5% of cancers worldwide are caused by HPV, and some turn up in some surprising places. A University of Washington study found that some men carry HPV 26 under their fingernails, which can lead to a form of cancer called digital squamous cell carcinoma. Proper hand-washing can help prevent this from happening, said Dr. Diane Harper, leading HPV researcher at the University of Missouri in Kansas City. But this isn't nearly as common as HPV causing cancer in other areas of the body, such as the oral cavity and the cervix. In the countries that have cervical cancer screening, the prevalence of cervical cancer is five times lower than in other countries, indicating that the testing is effective, Harper said. Why HPV causes cancer in some people and not others is still mysterious. Studies of the cervix have found that 70% of infections resolve by themselves within one year, and 90% within two years. It's that remaining 10% that actually turn into more serious infections, and 5% lead to treatable precancerous lesions, Harper said. Two well-established mechanisms of prevention in terms of sexually transmitted HPV are condom usage and circumcision, although neither completely eliminates the risk, Harper said. A large ongoing study called HITCH is examining questions of HPV transmission and infection in greater detail. So far, it's found that couples can "ping-pong" HPV back and forth to each other, which is one reason that the virus may take so long to clear naturally. As for getting HPV from kissing, that's not clear, and there isn't enough data to say anything about it yet, Harper said. It's very hard to get teens to listen to abstinence messages about oral sex, or to get them to use any kind of barrier method for these behaviors, Halpern-Felsher said. And since any risk factor under 50% sounds low to a very young person, throwing these precise statistics at them most likely won't make a difference. But parents should have honest conversations with their teenagers about oral sex, Halpern-Felsher said. Tell them that the consequences of HPV may not happen right away, and while the risks may not be huge, they are significant. Potential long-term outcomes of cancer are quite concerning.
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Get a behind-the-scenes look at the latest stories from CNN Chief Medical Correspondent, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, Senior Medical Correspondent Elizabeth Cohen and the CNN Medical Unit producers. They'll share news and views on health and medical trends - info that will help you take better care of yourself and the people you love. Recent Comments
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One more reason to remain monogamous.........
I want PALIN to comment on this first, before I believe it.
touche
It's just a matter of time.
I love to shake my booty and I don't think HPV is under my fingernails. I bite my nails. I love the taste. When I dance the wind blows on my face and I can taste the vanilla in the air.
LOL
You women need to visit a cervix station more often to have your fluids changed!
Okay kids. Stop doing the "nasty" or you'll get cancer. Give me break. Getting an abortion causes cancer. Giving birth causes cancer. Voting Democrat causes cancer. Voting Republican causes cancer. Listening to Beck/Limbaugh or Maddow/Mathews causes cancer. If you support Obamacare, you'll get cancer. If you want to repeal health care, you'll get it. It's all a lot of bull. Oh, one final thing, if you think getting cancer is a lot of bull – you'll get cancer.
if you read anything magic types, you will get anal cancer.
Hairspray can most likely cause cancer.... doesn't mean I am gonna stop using it.
Doesn't it seem like everything is bad for you anymore? Drinking too much water can kill you too. Just another item to add to our long list of worries.
Umm yeah...didn't you know. The world is not just not as safe as people think.
Oh, and the Earth is a balance. I know we as humans are trying as hard as we can to throw everything out of balance, but we will see more and more disease and cancer if the human population continues to out pace everything else on this planet. The #1 threat to the Earth is humans.
this bl0wz
oops
Someone is jealous so spit out control fear
actually Monica needs to have Hillary tested. Bill I am sure is just an innocent middle man so to speak.
anyone who is a top is really relieved at this point
Does this include self indulgence cause I wasted a lot of money on flexibility classes.
"Bj: when there is such a ridiculous article and study like this, than yes, jokes are very warrantied"
You are wrong BJ, this article is not ridiculous at all! Ask Michael Douglas what he thinks of your jokes.
Micheal Douglas was a heavy smoker and boozer and that was more likely the reason he battled Oropharyngeal Cancer.
hopefully, pleasuring yourself doesn't result in cancer. i am dreading that day.
Nonsense, what a stupid study, certainly paid by some stupid church
@Dr. Hugo, are you saying Catherine Zeta Jones has an STD?
Dr. Hugo, do HUGO down.
No, I am not saying that. Michael Douglas used to be a "womanizer" before his marriage with Catherine and was well known for his hedonistic lifestyle...and smoked too.
@Dr. Hugo, the article does say that about 5% of cancers are caused by HPV and that stat is diluted by location of the cancer. Cervical, oral, and apparently finger cancer. So using only the 3 locations of cancer stated in this article, my (and Michael Douglas's) chances of getting oral cancer from getting/recieving a BJ are somewhere around 1.67%. I'm sure Michael has gambled worst odds, I know I have, and I am 99.33% positive that his cancer had another origin. Making this article semi-ridiculous.
*worse
I don't think this would stop my girlfriend but I won't tell her anyway.
You are what you eat.
Why would Clinton need to know? Shouldn't Monica be the one that needs to know? Please take your politics elsewhere.
I think this issues is overblown, so to speak.
I think most (some) of the jokes are pretty funny, but I must ask...in what way is this study ridiculous?
Sounds like there are some scientists who aren't getting any
WOOHOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Off the hook.
You are a twit.
"Headline News": New Study Finds That Those Who Are Alive Have A Significant Higher Risk Of Getting Cancer!
lol....great point
This article sucks!
Rob: Don't worry about your date next weekend dude. I'm sure your guy friend will not have read this article so you'll still be able to smoke his pole.
My poor husband! haha
areuserious: Maybe you'll finally let your husband play your B-side now as an alternative.
Cathy! Don't call Bill, stupid, but Monica!
Cancer is no joke and I will keep fingers crossed I dont get it. I wonder if the Oldest man in the world that lives
right here in my home town worries about cancer. I think not as he is 114 yrs old. His name is Walter B.
You should go get some of his "essence!" He'd probably appreciate the attention and you could live to be 114 like him.
Wait! what about HJ's?
Are we seeing an increase in hand tumors???
Does it count if you do it on yourself?
It is my girlfriends primary source of Protein, she is a vegetarian.
lmfAO that was good cathy
Justin Bieber needs to be warned because that kid looks like he loves him some human sausage
im sure he always uses protection
This article leaves a bad taste in my mouth!
A diet of bad information will do that.
More media hype on a medical subject. One they have no expertise in. They toss up one studies results and scare the public. CNN do your job please. Research the subject and the study results with professionals, before you proclaim the sky is falling. And that doesn't include Gupta. He's a neurosurgeon and not a research oncologist. I also find the timing of this study to be suspect. The HPV vaccine manufacturers have just claimed the HPV vaccine works on males too. Isn't that convenient?
Dan: I agree 100%; it will not stop your girlfriend from hooking any of us up
women everywhere are currently rejoicing!!!
i'm not rejoicing! this only means that it's not safe for your man to do the thing to you. why would you rejoice about that? i love pleasing my man, and he loves pleasing me, this study will not stop us from doing the things that make us happy.
Why would you rejoice??? I feel bad for your husband.
Well; the truth s an offense; tke it r lve it. U live by the sworD; u'll Die by the sworD. Viva ORAL
Just cut to the chase and tell us what various articles are slowing leading up to – virtually everything causes cancer.
I also heard AIDS is caused by Botulism, you know bad meat in the can.
Actually, the article, while poorly written, IS accurate. HPV infection HAS been linked to oral cancer. And I've NEVER found cancer something funny or joke worthy.
Two commonly STD's are HPV and XMRV.
wifey32: Not really; now women are going to have to watch out for their behinds more because of this.
can be funny if used in the right context...like this
Is it still safe to suck on her pretty toes?
No, just the cute ones.
Is it still safe to suck on her cute toes?
No, just the pretty ones.