A new study conducted by a professor and his colleagues at the Institute of Cancer and Genomic Sciences, University of Birmingham, has revealed a steady increase in throat cancer cases.
According to the research, published on The Conversation, this rise is primarily attributed to an increase in oropharyngeal cancer, a specific type of throat cancer affecting the tonsils and the back of the throat.
Main Cause: Human Papillomavirus (HPV)
Dr Hisham Mehanna, in his report, identified HPV—a common group of viruses affecting the skin—as the primary risk factor for oropharyngeal cancer. Notably, HPV is sexually transmitted.
He highlighted that the main risk factor for oropharyngeal cancer is the number of lifetime sexual partners, particularly oral-sex partners. “Those with six or more lifetime oral-sex partners are 8.5 times more likely to develop oropharyngeal cancer than those who do not practise oral sex,” Dr Mehanna explained.
How HPV Leads to Cancer
“The prevailing theory is that most of us catch HPV infections and are able to clear them completely,” Dr Hisham stated. “However, a small number of people are not able to get rid of the infection, maybe due to a defect in a particular aspect of their immune system. In those patients, the virus is able to replicate continuously, and over time integrates at random positions into the host’s DNA, some of which can cause the host cells to become cancerous.”
Role of Oral Sex
The number of oral-sex partners significantly influences the risk of developing oropharyngeal cancer. Dr Mehanna reiterated, “Those with six or more lifetime oral-sex partners are 8.5 times more likely to develop oropharyngeal cancer than those who do not practice oral sex.”
In the UK, approximately 80 per cent of adults have reported practising oral sex at some point in their lives. However, Dr Mehanna offered reassurance that “mercifully, only a small number of those people develop oropharyngeal cancer.”
Preventative Measures
Doctors emphasise that HPV can be transmitted through vaginal, anal, and oral sex with an infected person. Vaccination has proven to be an effective preventative measure, showing more than 80 per cent efficacy. However, HPV vaccine coverage in England remains suboptimal, with only 67.3 per cent of girls and 62.4 per cent of boys completing the recommended two-dose schedule by Year 9.
