OT: HPV found to cause throat cancer

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And if the Road Warrior says it, it must be true..
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May 9, 2007, 11:39PM
Throat cancer added to list of diseases caused by HPV
Study finds oral sex transmits virus in men and women

By TODD ACKERMAN
Copyright 2007 Houston Chronicle
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<!-- rbox ends here -->The virus that causes cervical cancer, the subject of heated debate in Austin, also sharply increases the risk of throat cancer for both men and women engaging in oral sex, according to a new study.
The study found that people who have had more than five oral-sex partners in their lifetime are 250 percent more likely to develop throat cancer than those who do not have oral sex. The cancer at one time was thought to be caused only by alcohol or tobacco.
"This study provides clear evidence that the human papillomavirus is a risk factor for throat cancer," said Dr. Maura Gillison, a Johns Hopkins oncologist and the study's senior author. "Health care providers need to know that these cancers can occur in people that don't smoke or drink."
Gillison stressed that the immune system usually clears HPV on its own. She said that just as few women with HPV in their genital tract get cervical cancer, most people with an oral infection probably will not go on to develop throat cancer.
But Gillison and others noted that the finding could explain why throat cancer, which includes the tonsils and back part of the tongue, is on the increase in nonsmokers in their 30s, 40s and 50s. Historically, it has occurred among heavy smokers and drinkers in their 60s and 70s. Those numbers are down.
The study, published in today's New England Journal of Medicine, comes a week after the Texas Legislature overturned Gov. Rick Perry's order requiring schoolgirls to be vaccinated against HPV. Perry chastised lawmakers Tuesday but declined to veto the bill.
The study could shift the debate to whether the HPV vaccine eventually should be required of both males and females. Not only is the throat-cancer risk higher in men, noted Gillison, but if you add HPV-associated throat, anal and penile cancers, the virus causes as many cancers in men as women.

Effective for men

The vaccine, known as Gardasil, is approved only for females 11 and older. There have been some studies done with males, but they have not been analyzed.
Gillison said she doesn't see any reason why the vaccine wouldn't be effective for throat cancers or men.
Dr. Erich Sturgis, a University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center professor of head and neck surgery, called the study "very important" and said it provides the best proof to date of the risk oral sex poses for throat cancer.
"Partners of women who have abnormal Pap smears should be aware they're at risk," Sturgis said. "They should refrain from oral sex until the matter is resolved."
Sturgis said M.D. Anderson is working on similar research it hopes to publish.
There are 11,000 HPV-associated cases of throat cancer a year, slightly more than the number diagnosed as cervical cancer. There is no simple swab test to indicate early onset of throat cancer. The treatment, surgery or intensive chemotherapy and radiation, is considered particularly difficult and causes speaking and eating problems.

Greatest risk factor

Gillison's team took blood and saliva samples from 100 patients with throat cancer — 86 males and 14 females — and 200 healthy people. They also collected information about participants' sexual history.
The study found people who had a prior infection with HPV were 32 times more likely to have throat cancer than those with no evidence of having the virus. Those who tested positive for a particularly aggressive strain, HPV-16, were 58 times more likely.
The virus was transmitted by both fellatio and cunnilingus. Most of the participants were married heterosexuals.
HPV is ubiquitous, infecting men and women in equal numbers. Gillison said one study has found that, at any time, 10 percent of women have it.
Gillison had conducted previous research showing an association between oral sex, HPV and cancer but wanted to know whether those cases were a fluke. The study, she said, found HPV was the greatest risk factor, dwarfing the contribution of alcohol and tobacco. Gillison said she expects in time HPV-associated oral cancers will outpace those caused by alcohol and tobacco use.
The study mostly was funded by the Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation.
The same issue of the New England Journal featured two large studies demonstrating Gardasil is almost 100 percent effective in preventing cervical cancer. The studies, involving nearly 18,000 girls and women, found Gardasil is much more effective when given before women become sexually active.
todd.ackerman@chron.com
 

And if the Road Warrior says it, it must be true..
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The reason I posted this is that Gov. Rick Perry has signed into law that all school girls must get the vaccine and it has created allot of controversy
 

And if the Road Warrior says it, it must be true..
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Gov. Perry Establishes HPV Vaccination Program for Young Women
Vaccine will save lives of Texas women by preventing cervical cancer caused by HPV

AUSTIN – Gov. Rick Perry today issued an executive order directing the Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) to adopt rules requiring all girls age 11 and 12 to receive the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine prior to entering sixth grade, effective September 2008. The executive order also directs HHSC and the Department of State Health Services (DSHS) to make the vaccine immediately available to eligible young females through the Texas Vaccines for Children program for young women ages 9 to 18, and through Medicaid for women ages 19 to 21.

“The HPV vaccine provides us with an incredible opportunity to effectively target and prevent cervical cancer,” said Perry. “Requiring young girls to get vaccinated before they come into contact with HPV is responsible health and fiscal policy that has the potential to significantly reduce cases of cervical cancer and mitigate future medical costs.”

HPV is the most common sexually transmitted disease in the United States. Today, approximately 20 million people in the nation are infected, including one in four 15 to 24 year olds. Certain strains of HPV cause most cases of cervical cancer. Texas has the second highest number of women suffering from this devastating disease in the nation. In 2006, there were 1,169 new cases and nearly 400 deaths from cervical cancer in the state.

Parents may choose to opt out of mandatory vaccinations for reasons of conscience, including religious beliefs. The governor’s executive order directs DSHS to ease the opt out process by providing exemption request forms online.

http://www.governor.state.tx.us/divisions/press/pressreleases/PressRelease.2007-02-02.0949
 

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The reason I posted this is that Gov. Rick Perry has signed into law that all school girls must get the vaccine and it has created allot of controversy


yeah, i think it's a no brainer to vaccinate all teenage girls (and maybe guys too now).
 

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It's moot now, but I didn't have any problems with it. There were individual rights, financial and promiscuity concerns for sure, but for me, the bottom line was that it would save lives.

Sort of OT here, but awhile back, I was watching the "History of Tea" on the History channel. They talked about green tea, and said it contained an enzyme that attacked certain proteins which protected cancer cells. This makes them easier to kill with chemo or radiation. Does anyone know if green tea helps prevent the formation of cancer cells in the first place?

This is OT, but it is health related. I have heard that if you are alone and unable to get help while having a heart attack, that alternating deep breaths and vigorous coughs may lessen or end the attack until you are able to find or get help. Anyone else heard of this?
 

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It's moot now, but I didn't have any problems with it. There were individual rights, financial and promiscuity concerns for sure, but for me, the bottom line was that it would save lives.

Sort of OT here, but awhile back, I was watching the "History of Tea" on the History channel. They talked about green tea, and said it contained an enzyme that attacked certain proteins which protected cancer cells. This makes them easier to kill with chemo or radiation. Does anyone know if green tea helps prevent the formation of cancer cells in the first place?

This is OT, but it is health related. I have heard that if you are alone and unable to get help while having a heart attack, that alternating deep breaths and vigorous coughs may lessen or end the attack until you are able to find or get help. Anyone else heard of this?

Tea contains anti-oxidants which supposedly kills free radicals which are things that can cause cancer.

I've also heard about the vigorous coughs which compresses the chest cavity enough to compress the heart to cause it to pump out a little blood.
 

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Thanks for your response quantumleap. If the info helps anyone here, down the line, then it was well worth it. It's midnight and work comes early so I'm turning in. Have a good one.
 

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Well im sure many, many posters are relieved that they have no chance to get this type of cancer with the shear amount of time they spend reading and posting on the RX and gambling they have not time for Oral sex.

I mean given a choice to Post on the RX and gamble VS oral sex I would guess 85% of the posters would choose Post
 

And if the Road Warrior says it, it must be true..
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Yeah...but I know since there are a few posters w/ daughters that they might want to make sure they get vacinated. I know that I will have mine done
 

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