Can oral sex really give you cancer?

By Rachael Rettner
MyHealthNewsDaily

Reports of an increase in head and neck cancers that are caused by human papillomavirus, or HPV, have led some to propose that changes in sexual behavior, specifically an increase in oral sex, are responsible.

But experts say such conclusions may be premature, or at least overstated, and are leading to unnecessary worry.

While oral sex may be a risk factor for some types of head and neck cancer, the link is, at this point, speculative, experts say. Moreover, there are many other elements that play a role in whether a person develops cancer, including the strength of the immune system, said Sara Rosenquist, a psychologist and sex therapist in North Carolina.

In general, there is no need for individuals in monogamous relationships to restrict their sexual activities if the pair is in good health, Rosenquist said.

Rosenquist recently wrote an article in the Journal of Sexual Medicine to dispel myths about oral sex and cancer.

First, Rosenquist notes cases of head and neck cancer are not increasing. As a group, cases of this cancer have actually declined in the United States over the past 25 years. However, there has been in increase in the proportion of head and neck cancers caused by HPV, primarily among younger individuals.

HPV is thought to be, for the most part, sexually transmitted. The viruses cause almost all cases of cervical cancer, and can cause genital warts and anal cancer. The link between HPV and oral cancers is less clear.

Oral sex has been linked with an increased risk of acquiring an HPV infection in the mouth, and with an increased risk of developing oral cancers that are caused by HPV. But sex in general has also been linked with these risks.

A study published this year in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) found people who reported engaging in oral sex were twice as likely to have an oral HPV infection as those who did not engage in oral sex. But people who reported having sex of any kind were eight times more likely to have an oral HPV infection than those who had not had sex.

"There are no data to directly support a link between changes in sexual behavior and increased incidence of HPV-associated cancer, because the data do not exist," Dr. Maura Gillison, chair of cancer research at Ohio State University who has studied HPV, told MyHealthNewsDaily in an email.

An HPV infection becomes concerning if it persists in the body for a long time, as persistent HPV infections are more likely to cause cancer, Rosenquist said. And persistent infections occur when the body's immune system can't clear the virus. So any factors that would compromise the immune system function may increase cancer risk.

The more sexual partners a person has, the more swamped their immune system becomes, Rosenquist said. So if any sexual behavior change is responsible for the uptick in oral cancers caused by HPV, it's an increase in promiscuity, not oral sex, Rosenquist said.

The JAMA study found that among teens and adults who'd had 20 or more sexual partners in their lifetimes, one in five had an oral HPV infection. Another study found that people who had performed oral sex on six or more partners in their lifetime had an eightfold increased risk of cancers of the mouth or throat.

If you are in a monogamous relationship and have had fewer than six sexual partners in your lifetime, chances are "that you and your partner will be swapping HPV back and forth, with infections waxing and waning over your lifetime," Rosenquist said.

If you are able to clear HPV, but your partner is not, you may both be at risk of a persistent infection, Rosenquist said. A 2006 study found that the presence of a persistent HPV infection in one partner in a relationship increased the risk of a persistent infection in the other partner tenfold.

HPV should not be a concern for monogamous couples if there is no sex outside the relationship and they do not encounter factors that could comprise the immune system, Rosenquist said.

"Sexually active adults are more likely to benefit from healthy lifestyles that promote good immune functioning coupled with regular medical checkups aimed at early detection and treatment," Rosenquist said.

Rosenquist also advises couples to stop worrying, as worry and stress may also reduce immune system strength.

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Discuss this post

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Honey, I have a head ache

  • 2 votes
Reply#1 - Fri Mar 23, 2012 7:53 PM EDT

Ok Dave, you take the cake for best reply of the day.

  • 1 vote
#1.2 - Fri Mar 23, 2012 9:52 PM EDT

Oh great! Give them another excuse! " Honey I'd love to but I don't want to die."

  • 2 votes
#1.3 - Fri Mar 23, 2012 10:56 PM EDT

I'm a dead man. I guess I muffed it.

  • 1 vote
#1.4 - Fri Mar 23, 2012 11:31 PM EDT

But, What a way to die

    #1.5 - Sat Mar 24, 2012 12:31 AM EDT

    Oral sex has been linked with an increased risk of acquiring an HPV infection in the mouth, and with an increased risk of developing oral cancers that are caused by HPV. But sex in general has also been linked with these risks.

    Another fun thing that gives cancer....Well, that may be but I doubt that people will wera nasty condoms while giving oral sex, unles you want too end with a big piece of chewing gum in your mouth...gross

    • 1 vote
    #1.6 - Sat Mar 24, 2012 4:20 AM EDT

    I feel some biases information from Rachael Rettner.

    Bad experience dear?

    • 2 votes
    #1.7 - Sat Mar 24, 2012 4:48 AM EDT

    Well that really sucks!

    • 1 vote
    #1.8 - Sun Mar 25, 2012 3:47 PM EDT

    Just once, why can't there be a study which shows evidence that oral sex actually decreases the risk of cancer? That would be a daily dose I could struggle to live with.

    • 2 votes
    #1.9 - Sun Mar 25, 2012 4:22 PM EDT

    Something has to kill me and it might as well be this.

      #1.10 - Mon Mar 26, 2012 10:03 AM EDT
      Reply

      Best way to avoid cancer of the neck and head is to not smoke. But that doesn't concern sex, so of course it isn't news.

      • 19 votes
      Reply#2 - Fri Mar 23, 2012 8:32 PM EDT

      Oh, bl*w me! Wait! You'll die of cancer!

      • 4 votes
      #2.1 - Fri Mar 23, 2012 9:38 PM EDT

      QUESTION: "Do you smoke after sex?"

      REPLY: "I don't know; I've never looked."

      • 2 votes
      #2.2 - Sat Mar 24, 2012 9:59 AM EDT
      Reply

      Can it still if I'm the "pitcher" ?

      • 1 vote
      Reply#3 - Fri Mar 23, 2012 8:36 PM EDT

      So we should switch to anal?

      • 12 votes
      Reply#4 - Fri Mar 23, 2012 8:37 PM EDT

      There's a rise in anal cancer too, but not reported here for some reason. Looks like you're screwed on both ends....

      • 1 vote
      #4.1 - Sat Mar 24, 2012 2:22 AM EDT

      There is increased cancer rates in women with uncircumcized partners, honestly people really need to just live and quit being so afraid of everything!

        #4.2 - Tue Mar 27, 2012 7:33 PM EDT
        Reply

        i'm in serious trouble

        • 7 votes
        Reply#5 - Fri Mar 23, 2012 8:41 PM EDT

        Where do I sign up as a recipient?

        I can see where the scientists need MORE TIME for Additional Research!! LMAO

        Certainly don't need 'Premature' results.

        • 3 votes
        Reply#6 - Fri Mar 23, 2012 8:45 PM EDT

        come on over steve and i'll give you your first trial dose.

        • 2 votes
        #6.1 - Fri Mar 23, 2012 9:29 PM EDT
        Reply

        Just don't put your mouth on somebody's diseased junk. Cancer evaded.

        • 5 votes
        Reply#7 - Fri Mar 23, 2012 8:45 PM EDT

        Please tell me if your junk is diseased, okay??

        • 1 vote
        #7.1 - Fri Mar 23, 2012 8:49 PM EDT

        Or deceased as well. You know, "assault with a dead weapon."

        • 3 votes
        #7.2 - Fri Mar 23, 2012 9:39 PM EDT

        'diseased junk' - LOL!

        • 2 votes
        #7.3 - Fri Mar 23, 2012 11:20 PM EDT
        Reply

        Rick Santorum started this rumor

        • 21 votes
        Reply#8 - Fri Mar 23, 2012 8:46 PM EDT

        LOL! No Doubt! That there is one guy who is seriously backed up!

        • 4 votes
        #8.1 - Fri Mar 23, 2012 9:00 PM EDT

        His wife has to be the most sexually unsatisfied woman in America, unless she's banging someone on the side. I mean, she has to put up with him somehow.

        • 7 votes
        #8.2 - Fri Mar 23, 2012 9:06 PM EDT

        How can he be backed up?? He has umpteen kids, doesn't he? Seems he keeps busy.

        • 3 votes
        #8.3 - Fri Mar 23, 2012 9:11 PM EDT

        Okay, the very LAST thing I want in my head at the same time is the thought of Santorum and oral sex. Please, let's just not gross each other out. LOL

        • 9 votes
        #8.4 - Fri Mar 23, 2012 9:26 PM EDT

        and all of his kids aren't healthy. it has to come from one of them.

        • 2 votes
        #8.5 - Fri Mar 23, 2012 11:11 PM EDT

        Santorum probably thinks his wife gets pregnant from "laying next to her" as the bible says,and as we all know, Santorum takes the the bible very literally and just lays there. His wifes all,"uh yea,thats how it happened, that's how I got pregnant again.... uh.... how else COULD it have happened...... yea,must be that" and he just believes it because hes had the same kind of conservative "sex ed" that hes such a proponent of.

        • 2 votes
        #8.6 - Fri Mar 23, 2012 11:21 PM EDT

        Actually, santorum can result from anal sex but not oral sex

        • 3 votes
        #8.7 - Sat Mar 24, 2012 1:21 AM EDT

        I wonder how Monaca Lewinski is doing these days?

          #8.8 - Fri Mar 30, 2012 1:31 PM EDT
          Reply

          Did Santorum bring this up or Romney? Romney obviously doesn't practice oral sex or even oral presentations

          remarcable,,, I doubt if we are the only ones who have thought that

            Reply#9 - Fri Mar 23, 2012 8:47 PM EDT

            What or who is Remar Cable.

            • 4 votes
            #9.1 - Fri Mar 23, 2012 9:10 PM EDT

            Ha!! Jon, I was wondering the same thing!!

              #9.2 - Fri Mar 23, 2012 9:12 PM EDT

              ramarcable posted a link as I was writing mine. Hitting the reply button was too late

                #9.3 - Fri Mar 23, 2012 9:26 PM EDT
                Reply

                The JAMA study found that among teens and adults who'd had 20 or more sexual partners in their lifetimes
                Wow there must be some busy teens if they have had 20+ partners hahaha

                • 5 votes
                Reply#10 - Fri Mar 23, 2012 8:47 PM EDT

                That is the new generation for you. I lost my virginity at twenty one.

                • 1 vote
                #10.1 - Fri Mar 23, 2012 9:39 PM EDT

                More like liars shooting into the toilet paper.

                • 4 votes
                #10.2 - Fri Mar 23, 2012 9:40 PM EDT

                But they used 20 different brands of toilet paper, that's like 20 different partners right?

                • 1 vote
                #10.3 - Fri Mar 23, 2012 10:32 PM EDT

                some people can have 10-15 partners in a day. if you can't imagine it, you need to be on another web site.

                perhaps a childrens blog.

                • 2 votes
                #10.4 - Fri Mar 23, 2012 11:13 PM EDT
                Reply

                Are we sure this didn't come from the Onion...?

                • 3 votes
                Reply#11 - Fri Mar 23, 2012 8:47 PM EDT

                There isn't much of a difference these days between journalists who take themselves seriously and fake journalists who pretend to take themselves seriously.

                  #11.1 - Fri Mar 23, 2012 10:58 PM EDT

                  Hey, don't trash the onion, they are America's Finest News Source!!!

                    #11.2 - Sat Mar 24, 2012 7:25 PM EDT
                    Reply

                    Oh well i guess it's back to Mary and her four sisters.You gotta have hand.

                    • 5 votes
                    Reply#12 - Fri Mar 23, 2012 8:48 PM EDT

                    And if you happen to get any on your hand, will your fingers fall off?

                      #12.1 - Sun Mar 25, 2012 12:45 PM EDT
                      Reply

                      Maybe but you can also choke to death. Take small bites.

                      • 2 votes
                      Reply#13 - Fri Mar 23, 2012 8:49 PM EDT

                      I'll risk it.

                      • 4 votes
                      Reply#14 - Fri Mar 23, 2012 8:50 PM EDT

                      For those of you who like to roam around sexually, beware of the risks.

                      Food for thought: You can have just about anything you want in this world, but be prepared to pay the price.

                      • 1 vote
                      Reply#15 - Fri Mar 23, 2012 8:51 PM EDT

                      eh, what's up Doc? Rule of thumb to follow, if it stinks don't eat it

                      • 1 vote
                      #15.1 - Fri Mar 23, 2012 8:55 PM EDT

                      I'm a nurse and a woman....it doesn't always stink, just sayin. She may not know she has any problem down there.

                      • 1 vote
                      #15.2 - Fri Mar 23, 2012 9:10 PM EDT

                      God wants you to have as much sex as possible before you get married. So you know how to please your spouse.

                      • 3 votes
                      #15.3 - Fri Mar 23, 2012 9:21 PM EDT

                      Kikee,,, Yes thank you, I'm well aware of that

                        #15.4 - Fri Mar 23, 2012 9:27 PM EDT

                        to the nurse: 'she may not know she has a problem down there'. really? maybe she can't smell, either.

                        ever hear of sniffing your own drawers? it is self diagnostic, in many ways.

                        try it, you might just learn something.

                        and to those who don't look in the toilet.................. do!! it should be 'S' shaped. and brown.

                          #15.5 - Fri Mar 23, 2012 11:19 PM EDT

                          well paul my money is on the nurse cause not all things that will get you have to smell some things smell nice and taste better but stay with you for a long time

                          trust me on this one

                            #15.6 - Sat Mar 24, 2012 12:02 AM EDT
                            Reply

                            Ahh, when chlamydia just ain't enough!

                              Reply#16 - Fri Mar 23, 2012 8:51 PM EDT

                              I still won't stop ! bring it on !

                              • 2 votes
                              Reply#17 - Fri Mar 23, 2012 8:53 PM EDT

                              When the day comes when the government rules on what you can or can not do sexually that day will be the true end of freedom.

                              • 2 votes
                              Reply#18 - Fri Mar 23, 2012 8:53 PM EDT

                              Where the hell have you been? Why weren't you saying this when sodomy laws were being enacted?

                              There's still states where you can be prosecuted for having anal sex, if the cops catch you doing it. No joke. Even if it's a woman.

                              • 2 votes
                              #18.1 - Fri Mar 23, 2012 9:08 PM EDT

                              It is already telling you what you should and should not eat just listen to Michelle O. I might have missed it though. Did she touch on this subject too?

                                #18.2 - Fri Mar 23, 2012 9:19 PM EDT

                                Is anybody forcing you eat or do anything? When your doctor or someone from the FDA recommends you don't consume certain things, do you immediately cry conspiracy theories?

                                Go ahead. Go eat it. And when something screwed up your bodily functions, you'll have nobody to blame but yourself.

                                • 2 votes
                                #18.3 - Fri Mar 23, 2012 9:47 PM EDT

                                There are not any sodomy laws in the US anymore. The Supreme Court cases Lawrence v Texas ruled against state sodomy laws.

                                  #18.4 - Fri Mar 23, 2012 10:12 PM EDT

                                  Then vote for Saint Rick...

                                    #18.5 - Sun Mar 25, 2012 12:47 PM EDT
                                    Reply
                                    Comment author avatarDa TrollExpand Comment Comment collapsed by the community

                                    People more than likely this is another OsamaBama scare care tactic since he is NOT getting some from his scanky wife Michelle or anyone else in or out of the white house!!

                                      Reply#19 - Fri Mar 23, 2012 8:53 PM EDT

                                      These studies always have weak correlations. It's that people who have had sex with 20+ people are generally less healthy people. There are numerous other reasons they have mouth cancer, like smoking, that they would get regardless of how much of a chicken head they are.

                                      • 1 vote
                                      Reply#20 - Fri Mar 23, 2012 8:55 PM EDT

                                      These are specific cancer cells that are not related to smoking.

                                      • 1 vote
                                      #20.1 - Fri Mar 23, 2012 9:05 PM EDT
                                      Reply

                                      i if would die by cancer, i would chose oral sex over smoke since oral sex is more pleasure than some! :-)

                                      • 1 vote
                                      Reply#21 - Fri Mar 23, 2012 9:00 PM EDT

                                      deleted...you cleared it up! I was like "some what?"

                                        #21.1 - Fri Mar 23, 2012 9:06 PM EDT

                                        how many nuns die of oral cancers? or have cervical cancer? not to many.

                                        but i had a patient once, a nun, a full, current, convented nun, who ''fell'' on the subway tracks just as the train came into the station. (good) nuns don't commit suicade! yeah, right.

                                          #21.2 - Fri Mar 23, 2012 11:26 PM EDT
                                          Reply

                                          i meant ...oral sex is more pleasure than smoke

                                          • 1 vote
                                          Reply#22 - Fri Mar 23, 2012 9:03 PM EDT

                                          Don't try to tell the junkies that.

                                          • 1 vote
                                          #22.1 - Fri Mar 23, 2012 9:25 PM EDT

                                          as the old saying goes:

                                          "life is a sexually transmitted condition. which is 100% fatal."

                                          so try to keep that in mind. and live your life accordingly. thanks!!

                                          • 2 votes
                                          #22.2 - Fri Mar 23, 2012 11:32 PM EDT
                                          Reply

                                          When discussing things sex related could you people who write this stuff find a better word than premature to use to describe certain things, like study results.

                                          • 3 votes
                                          Reply#23 - Fri Mar 23, 2012 9:03 PM EDT

                                          To be honest, I still won't care if they do prove that it causes cancer. I'm not going to live forever anyway, so I might as well be happy while I'm still here.

                                            Reply#24 - Fri Mar 23, 2012 9:06 PM EDT

                                            In order to live a long healthy life we should all confine ourselves into plastic bubbles with absolutely no contact with each other and eat sterilized food substances from tubes and distilled water. Maybe we won't enjoy life to the fullest, but at least we'll live longer.

                                            • 2 votes
                                            Reply#25 - Fri Mar 23, 2012 9:07 PM EDT

                                            I had a friend who gave up all the things that were bad for him.

                                            He died of boredom.

                                            • 3 votes
                                            #25.1 - Fri Mar 23, 2012 9:38 PM EDT

                                            No, you'll exist longer. You'll have stopped living when you enter the bubble. Now excuse me while I go put my tongue in this radiation treatment gizmo.... ;)

                                            • 1 vote
                                            #25.2 - Fri Mar 23, 2012 9:50 PM EDT

                                            if you do not do a whole long list of things, do you really live longer?

                                            or does it just seem that way??????

                                              #25.3 - Fri Mar 23, 2012 11:33 PM EDT

                                              Oh, Heavenly Father, deliver us from temptation. But not yet, O Lord, not yet!

                                                #25.4 - Sat Mar 24, 2012 12:36 AM EDT
                                                Reply
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