Oral Sex Linked to Throat Cancer—Mandatory Vaccinations for Boys Too?

Ronald Bailey | May 11, 2007

The Washington Post reports:

The sexually transmitted virus that causes cervical cancer also sharply increases the risk of certain types of throat cancer among people infected through oral sex, according to a study being published today.

The study, involving 100 people with throat cancer and 200 without it, found that those infected with the human papillomavirus were 32 times as likely to develop one form of oral cancer than those free of the virus. Although previous research had indicated HPV caused oral cancer, the new study is the first to definitively establish the link, researchers said.

Last year, when Merck's new HPV vaccine, Gardasil, was approved by the FDA, a number of jurisdictions including the two in which I spend most of my time, Virginia and DC, made it mandatory for school girls. The idea is to prevent them from becoming infected later in life with the virus that is the leading cause of cervical cancer.

However, oral sex does not appear to be the leading cause of oropharyngeal cancer. It is largely associated with tobacco consumption according to the American Cancer Society.

Last year, some anti-HPV vaccine folks worried that vaccination might encourage female promiscuity. If HPV vaccination becomes mandatory for both boys and girls will this exacerbate the oral sex craze among teens?

Whole Post article here.

Disclosure: Despite any rumors you may hear, I am not shilling for Big Oral Sex. I also do not own any Merck stock.

Comments

|5.11.07 @ 2:06PM|#

"Disclosure: I am not shilling for Big Oral Sex."

Oh man. I'd totally be a shill for B.O.S.

|5.11.07 @ 2:07PM|#

Isn't that more of a Disclaimer than a Disclosure?

edna|5.11.07 @ 2:08PM|#

great, another excuse.

|5.11.07 @ 2:11PM|#

Shouldn't this story be on Kerry's beat?

|5.11.07 @ 2:11PM|#

Gee, oral prevents breast cancer but it causes throat cancer. Was this study also performed by Dr. B.J. Sooner?

(http://www.snopes.com/inboxer/hoaxes/fellatio.asp)

SugarFree|5.11.07 @ 2:13PM|#

Great. All this will lead to is that you'll end having to wear condoms to get a hook-up to go down on you. Awesome. Did Trojan fund this research?

Solves the old spit or swallow question as well. Now we'll never know if it's like or love...

Damn glad I'm married.

GILMORE|5.11.07 @ 2:17PM|#

NAY!! IT IS NEVER DISCLAIMER! IT IS DISCLOSURE!! DISCLOSURE!! ALL MUST BOW IN HONOR OF THE RON BAILEY DISCLOSURE. NONE SPEAK TRUTH BUT FOR THOSE THAT DISCLOSE. DISCLOSE!!

|5.11.07 @ 2:19PM|#

It's worth noting that it's been known for some time that oral sex poses cancer risk to boys too via HPV infection. There is known risk of mouth cancer (and penile cancer, although presumably that is not particularly tied to oral sex). This research adds "throat" to the list.

Some comment in the media seems to suggest people think the "HPV is a cancer risk to boys too" is new. I guess in a sense it is, it's new to them. But that's what we have the media for.

|5.11.07 @ 2:22PM|#

This sucks!

|5.11.07 @ 2:26PM|#

But that's what we have the media for.

For further clarity, I mean "The media's purpose is (or at least, seems to be, based on available evidence) to discover a fact that's been known for years and make a big sensation out of it like it's something that's just been discovered."

Let's see, offhand... They also did this with necrotizing fascitis. All these headlines everywhere all of a sudden about flesh-eating disease, until eventually, at long last, you get to stories where they talk to doctors who say "this is nothing new, we've always known about it, the incidence remains flat, the media just seems to have discovered it".

I suspect readers can list about a million other examples.

Curious Moose|5.11.07 @ 2:26PM|#

shill for just a little O.S.?

|5.11.07 @ 2:31PM|#

Guys, guys, you're all looking at this all wrong.

When she is expecting reciprocity for that wonderful gift she has just given you, all you have to give is "Sorry baby. I'd love to, but I've got my health to think about. You understand, right?"

At that point, you can roll over and go to sleep. S'all cool.

|5.11.07 @ 2:36PM|#

In case you're interested, the leading cause of oropharyngeal cancer is reading the word "oropharyngeal"! It's that disgusting!

|5.11.07 @ 2:42PM|#

I don't buy it.

At least, not until I see a correlative study done on those 100 people with throat cancer. Really, everyone knows that smokers are more willing to give head.

|5.11.07 @ 2:48PM|#

I'm beginning to think my dangler causes cancer.

SugarFree|5.11.07 @ 3:10PM|#

Lamar,

This is why it gets an R rating when used in a film where it provides no historical context.

|5.11.07 @ 3:22PM|#

I wonder if they will start allowing oral sex to be shown in films without the X as long as it provides a historical context.

I look forward to seeing some very interesting period pieces in cinema soon.

|5.11.07 @ 3:32PM|#

Well everyone has to go some time. You risk your life everytime you drive on the freeway. Risking it for oral sex sounds a lot more fun to me.

Robert|5.11.07 @ 3:54PM|#

The technical PDF for Gardasil says it's made of capsid proteins. So its duration of activity will depend entirely on immune memory cells. Giving it many years before someone engages in sexual intercourse (like kiddies) is just plain stupid. Why not fit the kids for bifocals too, while you're at it?

wsdave|5.11.07 @ 7:29PM|#

"Disclosure: Despite any rumors you may hear, I am not shilling for Big Oral Sex. I also do not own any Merck stock. "

I'd pay a shilling for Big Oral Sex!

Hey You!|5.11.07 @ 11:12PM|#

Hey JW, you wanna Know something? Your a F*%king c*#k sucker. Idiot!

|5.12.07 @ 8:44AM|#

Actually, I think it was Hohn Holmes who was shilling for BIG oral sex.

thoreau|5.12.07 @ 10:32AM|#

But Ron, don't you support legalization of prostitution?

If that isn't shilling for oral sex, what is?

:)

|5.12.07 @ 11:29AM|#

Hey JW, you wanna Know something? Your a F*%king c*#k sucker. Idiot!

I remember you now! It's been SO long. How are you? I see that you've stopped cutting yourself.

|5.13.07 @ 8:25PM|#

I wonder if they will start allowing oral sex to be shown in films without the X as long as it provides a historical context.

"Quest for Fire" has an only an R rating.

The Wine Commonsewer|5.14.07 @ 2:23AM|#

Oral Sex Linked to Throat Cancer--Mandatory Vaccinations for Boys Too?

Altar Boys maybe.

Thought I'd something more to say. And, I know, if one of the girls had written this instead of Ron, there'd be a thousand comments by now.