Researchers blame HPV for rise in throat cancer [Veterans of swinging sixties may pay for free love]

Chicago Tribune ^ | June 8, 2008 | Jeremy Manier

[Gondring]

FOR five gruelling months, Carol Kanga suffered through treatment for a life-threatening case of throat cancer linked to an unlikely source: a sexually transmitted viral infection.

Unable to swallow food or water during chemotherapy and radiation treatment, Kanga was fed through a stomach tube.

"The radiation basically burns the skin off the outside and inside of your throat," said Kanga, 52. "It's like there's a fire inside your neck."

Kanga's treatment was successful, but the virus that struck her is causing increasing concern among some researchers who think it is causing a small-scale epidemic of throat cancer.

That virus, scientists have proved only in the past two years, is human papillomavirus, or HPV, the virus behind most cases of cervical cancer.

The HPV infections probably took root decades ago as the baby boomers were reaching adulthood, and only now are spurring a rise in throat cancer cases, mostly among men and women in their 50s.

No one understands the precise reason for the increase, though experts suspect it is linked to changes in sexual practices that emerged in the 1960s and '70s. For example, oral sex is a known risk factor for HPV-related throat cancers, and studies have shown that people who have come of age since the 1950s are more likely to have engaged in oral sex than those who were born earlier.

[...]

The virus targets a specific portion of the upper throat called the oropharynx, which includes the tonsils and base of the tongue. [...]

[Gondring]

Of course, for years, the CDC has downplayed HPV--IMO, because condoms didn't prevent transmission and they hated to admit that.

Now that the HOV vaccine is out, they love to talk about it, but then there's this discovery!

[B4Ranch]

When will we read that it is more common in queers or will we ever see the truth?

[CarrotAndStick]

Is there a vaccine for this nasty? I’ve heard of vaccination for females, but I’ve wondered why males are left out. Any specific reasons?

[CarrotAndStick]

Thanks for the ping to the article on herpes and brain cancer. I had seen it earlier, though- I’m on neverdem’s ping list.

[GloriaJane]

I don't know, but when I worked a Roche Labs, now known as Lab Corp back in 1990, they told us that HPV didn't cause cancer in males. Only small flat warts on their ..... So that's a good question as to if males get the throat cancer or not.

[Dilbert San Diego]

Good question. I’ve heard that homosexual men are more prone to various anal and rectal related problems, but that tends to get covered up. There are a number of types of infections they tend to get, not just AIDS and HIV. But these others don’t get talked about much at all.

[Gondring]

I don't know, but when I worked a Roche Labs, now known as Lab Corp back in 1990, they told us that HPV didn't cause cancer in males. Only small flat warts on their .....

And they also thought the same about cervical cancer way back when. They now know that HPV can lead to anal and penile cancer. Though the efficacy of the vaccines is unknown, some men are getting vaccinated "off-label."

Note that the "cancer vaccines" that they push are actually HPV vaccines, since without the HPV women don't get cervical cancer (other than a very few exceptions). So this vaccine wouldn't help for the throat cancer of Baby Boomers...since they are already infected with the HPV.

And note that nearly half of women who used condoms still caught HPV...and there are many strains. It's easy to get confused between them and their effects--the current vaccines prevent only a few strains.

Note, I am not a doctor. (but I can play one! ;-)

[Gondring]

The costs of getting a vaccine or medication approved are ridiculous...the FDA is out of control. Targeting women only was a good cost-saving measure, since HPV-related cancer rates are low for men. Besides, if infected men keep passing it on to women, there's a constant market for it. (Not entirely facetious there)

It's interesting to note that Herpevac, the vaccine for HSV, is not effective for men. Not sure what that might mean for the HPV vaccines.

[LiberConservative]

Can this be transmitted both ways in heterosexuals? I mean ... hypothetically ... she had HPV ... guy did her ... she did guy... guy gets HPV ... she can get throat cancer? ... guy can get throat cancer? Good grief.

[GloriaJane]

"Note, I am not a doctor. (but I can play one! ;-)"

You did a very good job. LOL But you know all this just makes one wonder how many other cancers are caused by viral infections.

[Global2010]

A poster up the way on this thread said it something about homosexual men being the big sufferers.

My first thought was woman who give oral sex and female prostitutes who probably do allot of oral sex.

IMO it cant be a one group of sexual pref. cancer.

[VOA]

I'm suprised a major MSM outlet like The Chicago Tribune would mention
even the possibility that the liberated sex lives of
The Sixties and Seventies could lead to deadly outcomes.

[narses]

+

Freep-mail me to get on or off my pro-life and Catholic List:

Add me / Remove me

Please ping me to note-worthy Pro-Life or Catholic threads, or other threads of interest.

[It's me]

And this will only increase.

Thank you Bill Clinton.

[victim soul]

Ping!!

[neverdem]

Thanks for the ping.

[Gondring]

I'm suprised a major MSM outlet like The Chicago Tribune would mention even the possibility that the liberated sex lives of The Sixties and Seventies could lead to deadly outcomes.

The bracketed part of the headline actually came from another version on this article, but it seemed too good to pass up.

[JDoutrider]

Hmmm...

Doesn’t look good for all those cunning linguist experts from that era!

[neverdem]

GARDASIL® Questions and Answers

[Gondring]

Merck is going for approval for men, but that won’t help those already infected.