Based on data from the Mesothelioma Centre, approximately 54,010 American adults are expected to be diagnosed with oral and oropharyngeal cancer during their lifetime. Men appear to be twice as likely to be affected as women.
According to the National Cancer Institute, habits like smoking or getting infected with human papillomavirus (HPV) significantly increase the likelihood of developing oropharyngeal cancer, which affects the tonsils and the area at the back of the throat.
Dr. Hisham Mehanna, a professor at the University of Birmingham in the UK, said there has been a sharp rise in throat cancer cases over the last twenty years. He noted that people with more oral sex partners tend to face a higher risk of getting oropharyngeal cancer.
“Over the past two decades, there has been a rapid increase in throat cancer in the West, to the extent that some have called it an epidemic,” he shared in The Conversation on April 25.
“However, a small number of people are not able to get rid of the infection, maybe due to a defect in a particular aspect of their immune system. In those patients, the virus is able to replicate continuously, and over time integrates at random positions into the host’s DNA, some of which can cause the host cells to become cancerous.”
He also emphasized that the number of people someone has had oral sex with is the biggest risk factor in terms of developing this type of cancer.
Along with oral sex, lifestyle choices such as smoking, chewing tobacco, and drinking heavily have also been shown to increase the risk of developing throat cancer.
Experts at the Mayo Clinic also note that people with the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), those who suffer from GERD (Gastroesophageal reflux disease), or individuals exposed to harmful substances at work are more vulnerable to this illness.
Taking steps to reduce your risk of HPV is also key. This means limiting your number of sexual partners and using condoms during intercourse to stay protected.
One of the most effective tools is the HPV vaccine, which is more than 80 percent effective and is readily available in many places.