This article from TIME magazine isn't new but it may make you think twice about ORAL SEX:

Oral Sex Can Add to HPV Cancer Risk

Oral sex can get most men's attention. The topic becomes considerably more relevant, however, when coupled with a new study linking the human papillomavirus (HPV) to an increased risk of a kind of oral cancer more often seen in men.

The study, which appears in this week's New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM), shows that men and women who reported having six or more oral-sex partners during their lifetime had a nearly ninefold increased risk of developing cancer of the tonsils or at the base of the tongue. Of the 300 study participants, those infected with HPV were also 32 times more likely to develop this type of oral cancer than those who did not have the virus. These findings dwarf the increased risk of developing this so-called oropharyngeal cancer associated with the two major risk factors: smoking (3 times greater) or drinking (2.5 times greater). HPV infection drives cancerous growth, as it is widely understood to do in the cervix. But unlike cervical cancer, this type of oral cancer is more prevalent in men.

HPV is ubiquitous. Of the 120 strains isolated from humans — about 40 of which are in the mouth and genital tracts — Merck's recently FDA-approved vaccine, Gardasil, protects against four: HPV-6 and HPV-11, which cause warts; and HPV-16 and HPV-18, which cause about 70% of cervical cancers. Similarly, according to the study, HPV-16 was present in 72 of the 100 cancer patients enrolled in the study. Between 12,000 and 15,000 new cases of oropharyngeal cancer are diagnosed each year, and about 3,000 people die from it. "It is a significant health issue," says Dr. Robert Haddad, clinical director of the Head and Neck Oncology Program at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Haddad says that public awareness of the HPV virus needs to be just like that of HIV because the virus causes multiple types of cancer.

The study's findings bring to light a part of the debate over HPV vaccination and treatment that is often overlooked: the elevated risks of cancer that being HPV-positive has for men. According to Johns Hopkins' researcher Dr. Maura Gillison, who worked on the study: "When you look at the cancers associated with HPV in men — including penile cancer, anal squamous cell carcinoma, oral cancers — it's very close to the number of cases of cervical cancer that occur in the U.S. in women every year. We need to adjust the public's perception... that only women are at risk."

In his practice, Haddad has seen an increase in the number of younger people developing this cancer, people in their 30s and 40s. He attributes it in part to a "change in sexual behavior over the last decade." He says: "The idea that oral sex is risk-free is not correct. It comes with significant risks, and developing cancer is one of them."
Gardasil has become a vaccine rock star, but vaccines to fight HPV are still in their infancy. Another study in this week's NEJM points out that while the preventative vaccine works 98% of the time to protect girls not yet infected with HPV-16 and HPV-18, the vaccine is only 17% effective against cancer precursors overall. These findings could undercut the argument ensuing in more than 15 states to make the vaccine mandatory for young girls.

Gardasil and some vaccines in clinical trial are preventative, but drug companies such as MGI Pharma are studying therapeutic vaccines to treat those already infected with the virus. "We need to come up with better vaccines — and we need to study them in men," says Haddad. Gardasil has not been tested against oral HPV, but Dr. Douglas Lowy, laboratory chief at the National Cancer Institute, says that there is every reason to think that, in principle, "the vaccine should be able to have an impact on oral cancers attributable to HPV." Lowy says that the next studies might start with a look at the rate of acquisition of oral HPV in those who are vaccinated and those who aren't.

"There's no question that the debate needs to go further than where it is now," says Haddad. "Men are carriers and that is one way of transmitting this virus."

[ Last edited by  geoduck at 22-10-2010 09:12 ]

This is depressing as it would mean one fewer arrow in my quiver.  You know the HPV vaccination for 9-26 age girls only became available in the last few years.  That would mean I would have to abstain from daty for 5-10 years to wait for those vaccinated as children to grow up.  These then adult girls would be on average 30-40 years younger than me.  I would be seen as a dirty old perv.     I guess I have to stay in Asia.  Or hope those therapeutic vaccines go out in time to save me.

I think that most people will live in denial about this until there is some serious push by local health agencies/organizations and governments to increase public awareness.  It does seem that there is more and more exposure by media on this specific subject, which is definitely a good thing.  It would be unwise to continue to think that all these 141 girls are 100% clean and free of hpv " unless we have proof ".  BBBJ sure does feel good though =P

[ Last edited by  scootermonger at 22-10-2010 17:23 ]

is this anything like ...  testing rats for cancer by giving then 1000X over dose of something per day
for an extended period ?
maybe 100 BJs a day ... every day for 6 months would do this to everyone !!!  

Geoduck is only trying to help out and bring awareness/attention to a possible disease that most of us are not considering.

God, I'd hate to think what the chances are after several hundred oral-sex partners...  I should probably just be happy that I'm still alive!  

Have fun, CGP

I am confuse. Are talking about receiving or giving oral sex? or both ways?

I'd roll those dice Twice... I'd roll those dice...

you have no sense of humor !  

frequent giver or receiver of oral sex? check
drinker? check
smoker? check

I'm screwed...

better screwed then not screwed !!!

well, we can still use condom or oral wax cover to have oral sex. i guess HPV cannot pass through condom right?  besides can we inject those HPV prevention vaccine to prevent this??? i saw TV adv has this HPV prevention injection for women.

HPV is specially dangerous for women. There is a high risk for Cervical (neck of uterus) cancer.

yeah, maybe your right, these past months i have been dealing with some personal issues.  

If you had to give up one, which would it be?

oh definitely smoking. I'd never give up the other 2

A lot of stuff can kill us. And I would rather die a "happily satisfied" man.

Cancer this... Cancer that blah blah.

I bet some scientist around the world would reckon you would live longer if you were in a confied vacuum your entire life. Just go out and enjoy life I say

At this rate everything causes cancer!  I'm skeptical about this for sure

I have been watching the progress on this HPV vaccine here in the US for a few years.  All the info published is about the effects on women.

Maybe they need some volunteers to test the efficacy of the vaccine with regards to oral sex.  Sign me up.  Especially if the test partners look like the WG's in HK.