2023-11-12 06:06:40
Sexually transmitted viruses are causing a rise in throat cancer cases, warns the European Head and Neck Society (EHNS). An estimated 45,000 new cases of throat cancer per year are caused by human papilloma viruses (HPV) that are transmitted through oral sex, according to experts.
The German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) estimates that every second case of throat cancer is caused by an HPV infection, making the viruses the main cause of malignant tumors in the throat area, alongside tobacco and alcohol consumption. In the USA and Great Britain, HP viruses are even responsible for more cases of throat cancer than cervical cancer.
Researchers emphasize that people who have had oral sex with more than six partners over the course of their lives are at an increased risk of developing throat cancer. The cancer can occur years or even decades after the initial infection, with a drastic increase in cases observed in the last 20 years in the USA and Great Britain.
Dr. Hisham Mehanna from the University of Birmingham stated on the portal The Conversation that the chances of recovery from mouth and throat tumors caused by an HPV infection are 54 percent better than for those caused by other factors, according to the German Cancer Society.
Symptoms of throat cancer include non-healing sores, persistent hoarseness, difficulty swallowing, a sensation of a foreign body in the throat, and swollen lymph nodes. If any of these symptoms persist for three weeks, it is important to seek medical attention.
A simple and safe protection against HPV-related cancer is vaccination. The vaccination offers almost 100% protection against the two high-risk cancer-causing types as well as other subtypes, according to the Standing Vaccination Commission.
It is currently recommended for girls and boys between the ages of nine and 14, but older teenagers and adults can also get vaccinated against HPV. The rise in throat cancer cases caused by HP viruses is a concerning trend, underscoring the importance of awareness and preventive measures.]
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