Actor Michael Douglas is not the only one to have suffered the consequences of papillomavirus, responsible for nearly a third of cancers of the oral cavity. Between 1973 and 2009, the number of cancers of the mouth, tongue, tonsils, palate, cheeks, gums and lips increased by 60% in those under 45, according to a survey by the team. at Henri Ford Hospital in Detroit, USA.
The study, published by the newspaper from the American Academy of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, reports an alarming increase of more than 113% in people of Caucasian origin, while the number of cancers of the oral cavity shrunk by 52% in African Americans, website says Medical News. Men are said to be twice as affected as women. “This increasing incidence of oropharyngeal cancers has been largely attributed to the sexual revolution of the 1960s and 70s, which increased high-risk transmissions of the human papillomavirus (HPV)”, analyzes oncologist Farzan Siddiqui, lead author of this study.
Alcohol and tobacco are also risk factors that should not be underestimated, experts point out. However, scientists do not seek to stigmatize the practice of oral sex. The National Cancer Institute emphasizes too late a diagnosis: seven out of ten oral cavity cancers are diagnosed at an advanced stage. “However, it is possible to detect them early and thus be able to improve their prognosis and avoid mutilating treatments. Dentists as well as all health professionals performing an examination of the mouth can play a decisive role in this detection.”
