Best known for causing cancer of the uterus, the papillomavirus (HPV) can also infect the mouth or throat, and cause cancer of the oropharynx.
- Having many partners over a short period of time is associated with a higher likelihood of having HPV-related mouth and throat cancer.
- Age and adultery are also risk factors.
A new study published in CANCER reveals that having had more than ten partners with whom one practiced oral sex (fellatio, cunnilingus, etc.) was associated with a 4.3 times higher probability of suffering from oropharyngeal cancer linked to the papillomavirus.
Research also shows that having oral sex at a young age and having many partners over a short period of time were also associated with a higher likelihood of having mouth and throat cancer. to papillomavirus.
Older sexual partners
Besides the timing and intensity of oral sex, people who had older sex partners when they were young and those whose partners had extramarital sex were more likely to have oropharyngeal cancer related to papillomavirus.
A Contemporary Assessment of Risk Factors
To uncover these elements, Virginia Drake and her colleagues asked 163 people with and 345 people without HPV-related oropharyngeal cancer to complete a behavioral survey.
“Our study builds on previous research to demonstrate that it is not just the number of oral sex partners, but also other previously unappreciated factors that contribute to the risk of oral HPV exposure and cancer. later oropharyngeal”, explains Dr. Drake. “As the incidence of HPV-related oropharyngeal cancer continues to increase in the United States, our study offers a contemporary assessment of risk factors for this disease,” she concludes.
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