Oral sex leading cause of throat cancer epidemic in UK, Western countries

Researchers have dropped a bomb by connecting a surge in throat cancer cases in UK and other western countries to oral sex.

Oropharyngeal carcinoma, a specific type of throat cancer, has reportedly increased rapidly in past two decades, according to scientists.

According to Hisham Mehanna, a professor at the University of Birmingham’s Institute of Cancer and Genomic Sciences, oropharyngeal cancer is now more common than cervical cancer in both the US and the UK.

According to reports, the human papillomavirus is mostly to blame for this condition, which primarily affects the tonsil and back of the throat. (HPV).

Although HPV is sexually transmitted, most people are unaware they have it because it rarely manifests as symptoms or other issues. The primary cause of cervical cancer is also a member of this virus family.

Experts have also noted an upsurge in cancers that are HPV-positive.

Prof. Hisham wrote in his article in The Conversation that those who have engaged in oral sex and/or had more sexual partners over the course of their lifetime are more likely to get this type of throat cancer.

Oropharyngeal cancer is 8.5 times more likely to occur in those who have had six or more oral sex partners over the course of their lifetime than in those who have not.

According to Prof. Hisham, the majority of us who develop HPV infections are able to fully recover from them.

However, a small percentage of patients are unable to recover from the infection, possibly as a result of a flaw in a specific immune system component.

The virus can continue to replicate in those people and over time integrates into the host’s DNA at random locations, some of which can cause the host cells to develop into cancer.

Prof Hisham said that numerous nations already immunise young girls against HPV to prevent cervical cancer and that there is mounting “indirect” evidence that the vaccines also successfully prevent mouth HPV infections.

Boys may also benefit from “herd immunity” in areas where more than 85% of girls have had an HPV vaccination.

However, Hisham pointed out that herd immunity cannot shield an individual from harm; he used the example of someone having intercourse with someone from a nation where the HPV vaccine is not widely distributed.

Girls in the UK receive their first HPV vaccination in Year 8 and a second dose up to two years later. In an effort to drastically reduce the number of HPV-related cancer cases in the future, boys were also included in the scheme in 2019.

Symptoms of mouth and oropharyngeal cancer

Pain in your mouth, unhealed ulcers, difficulty swallowing, red or white patches in your mouth or throat, speech problems, weight loss, a lump in your neck and bad breath

According to Cancer Research UK, HPV is responsible for over 70% of oropharyngeal cancers in the UK, where 8,500 new instances of oral and oropharyngeal cancer are identified each year.

Read all the Latest News, Trending News, Cricket News, Bollywood News,
India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.