Daily Mail
New evidence of just how dangerous the sexually transmitted Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) can be continues to pile up. A recent National Cancer Institute study (to be released this week) points out the linkage between HPV and a rise in certain types of throat cancer. Among men, this rise is almost certainly due to oral sex with their female partners. HPV is now more likely to lead to throat cancer than smoking is… and stunningly, more than half of sexually active American women and men have been or will be infected with HPV.
The Wall Street Journal (WSJ.com) summarizes:
HPV Facts
Human papillomavirus is the most common sexually transmitted virus in the U.S.
- More than half of sexually active men and women are infected with HPV at some time in their lives.
- About 20 million Americans are currently infected and about six million more get infected each year.
- HPV can cause cervical cancer in women, which is the second-leading cause of cancer deaths in women world-wide.
- HPV is linked to a four- to five-fold increase in certain oral cancers, especially in men; about 25% of mouth and 35% of throat cancers are caused by HPV.
- There are more than 100 different types of HPV virus. Some are low-risk while highrisk types can cause several cancers, including head and neck cancer, which is becoming more prevalent.
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; American Academy of Pediatrics