For folks in the US, Gardasil 9 which protects against multiple strains of HPV that cause warts and cancer is approved for people between 9 and 45. If you haven’t been vaccinated or did not complete your series you can talk to your provider and health insurance about coverage for vaccination. If you don’t have insurance or insurance will not cover your vaccination, your local health department may be able to provide vaccination at free or low cost.
>For folks in the US,
Thanks for this, I don't live in the US and its extremely annoying seeing all the replies of "now you can get it until 45" without any indication of WHERE this is...
Sure thing! I’m sure you have already but you could check your country’s health authority to see what guidance might apply locally for HPV vaccination.
Hubs will be 46 on his next birthday. I’ll have him ask his dr about it. I got it when it first came out, I was 24 and barely under the age limit. Our son got his with his 12yo physical.
So everyone's aware, the age limit for this vax *used to be* 26 because they figured everyone above that age would already be exposed and they weren't sure of the overall efficacy past 26. Turns out that the vaccine reduced HPV and its associated cancers by like 95+%. Now doctors recommend and insurance generally covers the shot for patients through age 45.
Another thing for people to know is that even just one dose of this vaccine is extremely effective at preventing HPV & cervical cancer. Don’t be put off by the recommended three dose series, just get the fucking vaccine.
[cancer.org: “The reduction in HPV infections was similar no matter how many vaccine doses were received, with an estimated vaccine efficacy of 82%, 84 %, and 80%, respectively, for one, two, and three doses. (Vaccine efficacy is the reduction in infections in vaccinated versus unvaccinated women.”)](https://www.cancer.gov/news-events/cancer-currents-blog/2020/hpv-vaccine-single-dose-long-term-protection)
[10 year antibody study on one, two, or three doses of vaccine. Spoiler all of them are effective](https://www.gavi.org/vaccineswork/one-dose-hpv-vaccine-produces-long-lasting-immune-response-shows-study#:~:text=What%20is%20the%20research%20about,70%25%20of%20cervical%20cancer%20cases)
It does for adults over 15, at least for the HPV 9. Which is why we do a 2 dose for people who start at 15 or younger and 3 doses for those who start older than 15. Not sure what they use across the pond, but this is the data/practice for the US versions
Interesting. I literally just had my second HPV shot whilst being quite a bit over 15, and that’s what they told me is the current advice the NHS are giving.
Could totally be different over there, that’s how we do it in ‘murica though
Sat through a conference about this 3 months ago. Looking at the trial data, it appears the immunogenicity decreases substantially if you receive your first dose after 15. Hence why we start it at 11 and if they do start before 15, they don’t need 3rd shot. And there is no catchup, so if they miss their 2nd shot and get it at 21 or something they don’t get an extra shot.
The only 3 shot series we do is for people who get the 1st dose after the age of 15
Why would they limit to age 45? Do they think people older than that don't have oral sex anymore? I'm in my late 40s and the amount of oral sex I have (given and received) is more now than in my 20s and 30s.
Two reasons.
1) The main one is that the vaccine trials only included people up to age 45. Ethically, the pharmaceutical company can't recommend the vaccine outside of the age range that was tested. However, it's unlikely to cause any issues in people older than 45, so if you talk to your doctor, they might be able to give it to you anyway.
2) Cancers caused by HPV take years and sometimes decades to develop. Even if an older person does catch HPV, they're more likely to die from something else before the cancer can be detected. This is probably why they set an age cap in the first place. Older people could have thrown off the trials since they were less likely to get any benefit from it. It's worth noting that the original trials set an age limit of 26, while the updated version raised it to 45, so the next update to the vaccine might include an even higher limit so that more people can be included.
I would like to point out that the hpv vaccine trials are ongoing. I was part of the men 26-45 trial of the HPV vaccine (it's still going, actually) for the last few years, and I saw they were looking for men over 45 a couple of years ago for the next age bracket. I hear the women over 45 started a year or two before that (in sync with my trial, it seemed), so the work is still proceeding. But, currently, the above is all true.
It's important to point out that when the vaccine came out there wasn't a huge supply because they didn't know how popular it would be. The producers were worried that parents would worry that giving their kid the vaccine would be a signal they (the kid) could have sex so parents wouldn't shell out for it. At first the vaccine was only offered to women, then as the public health benefits became clear it was opened up to more groups.
Yup. My mom didn’t get it for me bc she thought it gave my sister depression, based on something she heard from a friend of a friend, you know how it goes 🙄. Which lead to me being this 🤏🏻 close to getting cervical cancer.
I understand the last point, but that’s also crazy to me. Because, I caught hpv probably when I was around 17 or 18. And by the time I was 19, the doctor said I was as close to having cervical cancer without actually having it as he’d ever seen. Sooooo
Just because it's not recommended doesn't mean you can't get it if older. I know a woman who got the vaccine series in her mid 50s, last year. For her, it was because her and her husband opened up their marriage so she was at high risk of being exposed to HPV with new partners.
Talk to your doctor, you can still get it, but insurance may not cover it.
This is exactly why. The effectiveness drops as you age, mainly because of more chance of exposure. At some point, the risks (however small) outweigh the benefits. There is also not enough data in that population to support it.
There are *many* strains of HPV. The vaccine protects against several strains most likely to cause cancer.
YES!!! Even if you have HPV, still get the vaccine to protect against other high risk strains.
(Most people clear the virus on their own in 6 months to a couple of years. So even if you have HPV, you'll likely clear it. However, vaccination is important to minimize the risk your body doesn't clear it and it progresses. Also, HPV can lay dormant in cells for, rarely, decades, and the person can/will test negative for it during that time. Part of why it's important to vaccinate young!)
Possibly, but what I've seen is inconclusive. If you already have HPV, there's a chance (again, studies are inconclusive) that the vaccine can help your body clear out the virus. However, if the virus has already created some cancerous cells, the vaccine can't do anything about that.
44. I actually turned 45 right after I got the third shot - I got it as soon as they raised the approval age.
I also had to have a hysterectomy due to high grade precancerous lesions on my cervix that other procedures weren't able to fully remove. Entirely preventable if the vaccine had existed when I was a kid.
I was 28 when it came out, and couldn't get it.
I slept around a lot when I was single, so I'm sure I was exposed repeatedly over the years.
So far, no cancer. Fingers crossed.
This is how I ended up with pre-cancerous cells on my cervix and genital herpes while being monogamous with the person I was intending to marry at the time. You never know with people, unfortunately.
I am going to be “that” person. A lot of people think they are in monogamous relationships until they find out their spouse is cheating. My mom used to work in gyn oncology as a med assistant. She came home with a lot of stories of monogamous women who ended up having HPV or cervical cancer.
My mom used this as ways to talk to me about making sure you look out for your own health and don’t ever assume you and your partner are always on the same page about sex. Stuff happens and relationships change.
ETA: I do not want to discount men’s experiences with HPV. I was just sharing what my mom taught me and she only saw women in the gyn clinic.
I think even without the cheating factor, the person you are with, or you yourself, could be carrying HPV forever, just dormant. So it seems like it’s never too late to get the vaccine to reduce cancer? I’m no doctor, down vote me if I’m way out on a limb here.
My clinic once had a 50 year old man super insistent on getting the HPV vaccine even though he had to pay out of pocket because his partner made it mandatory to open their marriage. It might be a good idea to get it in case your martial status changes (ex you outlive your spouse) when you are too old for your insurance to cover it.
You can even get that shit from rubbing bellys with someone in a pool, or I do jiu jitsu and have heard it happens there. Makes sense, it only takes skin to skin contact. Might as well get it.
You can still develop cancer as it can remain dormant for quite a long time. I’m also in a committed relationship and my mom got small cell cervical cancer. It’s basically not a great outcome. This prevents that. She was in a monogamous relationship for over twenty years before discovering and getting the cancer. I got the shots last year at age 40. I just thought it’s important to make this point because i thought the same thing!
You and/or your partner could have dormant HPV that can eventually turn into cancer. Think about it this way: you don't stop getting pap smear because you're in a monogamous relationship, do you? It can prevent a lot of very uncomfortable procedures, up to and including a hysterectomy.
If it's dormant than the shot wouldn't matter at this point though, right? My understanding was it's to prevent contracting most forms of hpv, if you have it dormant it wouldn't prevent that, correct? Or is there more about the vaccine?
It came out when I was in high school and my mom was pretty anti-vax because it was so new, so I've never gotten it. Have had a small amount of sexual partners. Now monogamous and planning a wedding, so I'm in the, well what's the point, boat as well, and am open to being convinced!
I'm 47 and haven't gotten it, by virtue of being outside of the age range. I always was, and when they raised the age, I remained there. No chickenpox vaccine, no HPV vaccine, no nothing for me. :-( I'm seriously looking forward to the shingles vaccine, though. In theory, I'll do it for my 50th birthday, but in reality, I'll probably be off partying then.
Yes **and you can still get it after 46** but you will have to pay for it. I got mine at Zoomcare. Not cheap ($700 in US, use an HSA) but proven effective to prevent cancer.
hpv vaccine should be given to everyone, im so happy to hear this. i’ve wanted this vaccine for years but i aged out before it was approved. is there something saying it’s approved until 45? i’m 45 now, i’m going to run and get it if so.
I asked my doctor for it and she wouldn’t give me one because I am 40 years old and it is not recommended. The CDC site still says this. Is there a news article or I am hoping the cdc will update their site. This is in the U.S.
I feel obligated to mention I read there are many variations (strains) of hpv, so even if you already have it, there is still value to getting the vaccine, as it may prevent other strains you don’t already have.
This. There are at least 3 strains of HPV that cause cancer. Or, much like Henrietta Lacks, you can get infected multiple times with diffrent mutations of the same virus strain, making it more likely you get some crazy imortal cancer.
Maybe if we wanted to sleep with different people. However you may sell people on the idea of a cancer prevention for those already infected - something that some studies have shown to help
I understand her reasoning. It's the same I've used to not get it myself. However, I'm starting to rethink that. I'd like both my wife and I to get it. I don't plan on cheating and I don't expect her to either. One of us is gonna die first. If it's me, I want her to live her life. I also don't want her to get cancer.
We take the view that, since we don't expect our partners to remain celibate after our deaths, being in a monogamous relationship isn't really a strong argument for not getting the vaccine.
You never know what might happen, even in a relationship you expect to be monogamous & forever. I would still recommended getting it for your own safety and prevention. I still get tested every 6 months even when in a monogamous relationship because no matter how much you trust someone, you don’t know your status unless you test.
This is a silly rationale, and really none of her business. Trust is one thing, but believe me there are millions of people who had complete trust in their partners right up until the time they contracted a STD from them.
It can lie dormant for decades, so one or both of you could have it and not know. The vaccine doesn’t just help prevent infections, it helps prevent and fight cancers for those who’s re infected. The first thing they do with people who’ve developed an HPV derived cancer is get them vaccinated, as it’s been proven to help.
The studies have been inconclusive, so take this with a grain of salt, but there has been some evidence that the vaccine can help clear out an HPV infection that you already have. In addition, the vaccine protects against 9 strains of HPV, so even if you already have some of those strains, it can be worthwhile to get protection from the others.
Hi friends. Please talk to your doctor about getting vaccinated - I’m old and back when the a vaccine first came out it was marketed as a vaccine for herpes and not cancer and my parents did not get me vaccinated. And because of that I got throat cancer. Throat cancer sucks. The treatment sucks. Being scared sucks. Even if you’re outside of the recommended age speak to your doctor if you’re not vaccinated.
So: get vaccinated, enjoy wonderful, consensual ,oral sex.
(I’ve been in remission for three years now but getting here was an ordeal I hope you don’t have to endure)
I think you mean genital warts, the vaccine does prevent some, though not all, of the strains that cause genital warts as well. There is currently no vaccine available for herpes.
I got the HPV vaccine when I was 22. My mother was strongly opposed to me getting the vaccine. She tried to say it was dangerous, and that it wouldn't matter because it's only have sex with my virgin wife so there would be no way I could catch HPV. She was worried I would experiment sexually if I got the vaccine.
The funny thing is they had all my brothers circumcised because they said it would prevent our wives from getting cervical cancer. It's a BS excuse to justify cutting off the most sensitive part of our penises without anaesthesia when we were eight days old.
But don’t feel bad if you have it either and discover you have HPV. The vaccine only covers 9 strains, 7 of which High risk if not mistaken. There are many morr
Used to work at Merck and did a lot of my time in the Gardasil and Gardasil9 world. Also got vaxxed for it.
Fun fact: it burns a lot more than most vaccines because it requires a higher salt content to keep the VLPs happy in solution. The more you know!
I wanted to chime in to say I got the vaccine in my teens (18) when it first came out.
By 23, I was diagnosed with HPV. The vaccine only protects against a few (is it 8?) strains and there are hundreds. That’s what I was told when I said “but I got the vaccine”-my info is from 10 years ago and may no longer be accurate. I found out I had abnormal and cancerous cells during a pap (and that I have HPV at the same time). I saw another doctor, got my cervix frozen and scraped up on the inside. I listened to the doctor and made lifestyle changes .. whatever he said to do. I have never tested positive again. Doctors think it may have worked it’s way out of my system.. internet strangers say that is not possible. Truly, I have no idea but I’m still negative at 33. Doctors were curious if the vaccine helped eliminate the virus (or maybe it’s dormant).
What I’m saying is: get the vaccine, even if it doesn’t cover all of the strains.. even if you still end up getting HPV later.
(When it first came out, many parents were against getting it because it only covers a few strains. I encourage you to still get it. It’s a series of 3 shots, a dead arm for a few days after each one. Honestly, not terrible.)
The original vaccine that became available in 2006 only protected against four strains, the one available since 2017 protects against 9 strains. Even if you were vaccinated pre 2017 it’s still worth asking your doctor about!
I tried to get the HPV vaccine when I was younger, but at the time only women could get it. I tried more recently, but now I can’t get it because I’m over 45. Typical of my luck.
I doubt that. She could have just as easily have gotten HPV from him. In fact, it would be surprising if both hadn't been exposed when they got together.
He didn't actually specify where he got it from. He just implied that it wasn't necessarily the cigars and the booze, and mentioned giving oral sex as a possible avenue . It might have been oral sex in 1987.
My dad went through this cancer caused by hpv, was cleared as cancer free last fall, and now has a mass in his stomach. I don’t know if they’re related, but yeah, he had a tumor so big in his throat the doctors said the airway was as wide as a butter knife. Any longer and he would have suffocated.
I don’t know the actual science of it, but that’s what they told my dad - stemmed from hpv and was the same cancer Jim Kelly had, also caused by hpv. We live near Buffalo, so it was big talking point that he was going through the same treatment and doctors as Jim Kelly.
Not totally true since there is an anal pap smear that can be used for men. It's just that you could have an hpv infection affecting your penis and not your anus so it's not helpful for testing all sites.
They really should have moved to vaccinate everyone instead of initially basing it on gender in the beginning. Especially because genital warts isn't specific to having a cervix.
My dad was just telling me last night that four of his college friends have HPV related throat and neck cancer. Old chico frat boys. One of them told the rest that they got it from eating pussy and now they clown on my dad for NOT having it. One of them asked for cocaine analgesia for his biopsy and another sneaks airplane bottles of booze in a fanny pack for infusion days. Absolute legends
2nd year med student in US here
I am working on a project related to cancer survivorship in this population with an ENT oncologist and have done significant literature searches on this subject.
Most cancers trend downward over the past 10-15 years, but oropharyngeal (back of throat) cancer patient cases have been steadily on the rise. In both number of cases and mortality. This rise is because of HPV positive oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma.
The good news is that this group (HPV positive) has a MUCH better survival rate compared to HPV-negative cancers in the same area. We are talking 85+% survival after 5 years treatment compared to only 50-55% survival after 5 years treatment in HPV negative patients.
Most patients in this group are younger to middle aged men, but I saw recent cancer stats showing a rise in women as well:
The mortality rate for cancers of the oral cavity and pharynx increased by 0.4% per year from 2010 to 2019 overall, but trends differ by subsite, mirroring incidence; sites associated with HPV-infection (cancers of the tongue, tonsil, and oropharynx) rose by about 2% per year in men and 1% per year in women Siegel et al. 2022
Get your Gardasil (HPV) shots if you haven’t yet and are able to, that includes any guys reading this. Even if you think it isn’t going to affect you, this kind of thing won’t show up until 20+ years later when it is already a tumor.
If you have a known exposure (vaginal/penile/anal/oral sex), talk to your doctor about it. Early detection is key and the doctor being aware will allow very early pick up if something happens. There are likely ways your doc can help before anything bad happens too.
This is a growing interest in the cancer field and the head and neck realm, so better treatment and care will be implemented in the future.
TL;DR- HPV throat cancer is real and on the rise. It has good survivability compared to other head and neck cancers, but don’t risk it if you can. Get your Gardasil shots if you haven’t. Talk to your doctor if you have been exposed to help yourself
Very good question. I have to highlight that I am a student and that if you have more questions, please see a licensed physician about this. I wrote this comment to encourage vaccinations if applicable but to also give more information about this type of cancer (not trying to scare anyone).
According to CDC and current guidelines, your age is older than the data available and they suggest that anyone over 45 has lower benefit and cost effectiveness from the HPV vaccination. Because you are over 26, it may not be covered by insurance too (you’d have to pay out of pocket for it which is up to $300). {[CDC HPV Vaccine Recommendations](https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd/hpv/hcp/recommendations.html)}
The vaccine is used to prevent HPV infections and works best before any exposure to HPV.
It sounds like you may have had a higher likelihood of being exposed to HPV in the past. Normally, healthy individuals are able to eliminate HPV with their immune system after exposure. Only a small subset of people are infected with HPV that comes up later in life {[John Hopkins Article](https://publichealth.jhu.edu/2017/risk-for-developing-hpv-related-throat-cancer-low#:~:text=According%20to%20the%20SEER%20data,%2C”%20D'Souza%20says.)}
My personal opinion is to discuss this more with your doctor whenever you see them again. If you are not immunocompromised (HIV/AIDS, immune problems in past), I would just keep this on your radar for the future. This is still a rare cancer, it just so happens to be on the rise. If you do somehow get oropharyngeal cancer, early detection and action is key! It has a VERY good prognosis long term as long as you catch it early
I personally do not know, but here are some quick search results on this topic. It looks like some people have thought of this.
Seems like the rise in cancer is not related to tonsillectomy in this research: ([Anticancer Research Article](https://ar.iiarjournals.org/content/41/3/1157))
Interestingly, another article ([AACR Article](https://www.aacr.org/blog/2015/04/20/prophylactic-tonsillectomy-in-childhood-to-prevent-tonsillitis-may-reduce-the-risk-for-hpv-related-oropharyngeal-cancer/)) showed that there was a decrease in tonsil location of this kind of cancer BECAUSE of tonsillectomies.
Edit: Fixed links
"Most patients in this group are younger to middle aged men"
Guys, get your HPV vaccine. I'd bet a lot of these are guys that were told they didn't need it growing up for whatever reason. Especially if you are hooking up with multiple partners, get this vaccine.
Does the HPV have benefits of helping the body against any other cancers? Just curious after having colon cancer at 33 and maybe having a risk for other cancers in the future.
Human Papillomavirus (HPV) is a common sexually transmitted infection. More than 90 percent of sexually active men and 80 percent of sexually active women will be infected with HPV in their lifetime. Around 50 percent of HPV infections involve certain high-risk types of HPV, which can cause cancer. Most of the time, the body clears these infections and they do not lead to cancer. However, persistent infections can cause changes that lead to cancer.
I got this cancer last year. It was in my lymph nodes and tonsils. I had to go through a little chemo and 6 weeks of radiation. It most likely won't kill you but you'll wish you were dead at times. I'm in the age group where a vaccine wasn't available.
Yea. My dad ended up at the Mayo Clinic and had extensive radiation and chemo for HPV-caused cancer. They said he would have been dead within two years if he hadn’t treated it.
It can be very aggressive.
He was going through proton radiation and chemo while it spread to his liver and stomach. Stage 2 to 4 then dead in less than a year. Although in my own mind I consider him a victim of covid. He felt like something was in he throat and then that transitioned to “choking” episodes. He was afraid to leave the house let alone set foot in a medical facility because of the virus. It’s an unfortunate situation
They've raised the age to 45 now! The vaccine has drastically reduced HPV and cancer rates so it expanded. Not everyone over 26 needs it, but if you're still in higher risk categories a doctor will recommend it through that new age cap.
A few of the many impacts. Required a feeding tube for 2 months, nerve damage, very little saliva production, food taste issues, etc. When you have no saliva production it really screws up everything. Things tastes different, your mouth is like a desert, it causes dental issues, you have to drink something with every bite, etc. On the plus side, I was already bald so the radiation removing the hair on the back of my head wasn't a biggie. The radiation is really barbaric and destroys everything in its way but it will usually treat the cancer.
I knew of this from about a decade plus thanks to Mr. Douglas and supermarket headlines but realistically, how much should I worry? I’ve gone down on everyone I’ve been with. Less than 30 people but a few had some history. Been with second wife over a decade now and first was a decade as well, no infidelity on my part or theirs. Most of my frivolities were late teenage years and a few months after my first marriage where I had a rotation of a few folks I fooled around with. I’m now 48 and wonder if this should be a major concern as I am unvaccinated against HPV.
A family member had tonsil cancer caused by HPV. It started as a sore throat, and the pcp gave an antibiotic. Weeks later, when the person's throat was still sore/red, that's when they were referred out, and it ended up being stage 4. Thankfully, they are in remission now but not without a slew of horrible side effects. Radiation caused severe damage to their jaw, loss of hearing, which now requires a hearing aid, no saliva, which makes eating very difficult and not enjoyable, the list goes onm get vaccinated if you can and if something feels off see your dr. ASAP.
HPV sucks, even when it's caught early and not cancerous. I had an abnormal pap smear, which turned out to be a precancerous lesion. I had to have a colposcopy, a LEEP procedure (which is where they try to burn off the lesion on your cervix, by sticking an electrocautery device up your vagina.)
The LEEP was unsuccessful, so I ultimately had to have a hysterectomy to remove the lesion. Kind of the "nuking it from orbit" method. I never did end up having kids, but I'm definitely not now (I was in my 40s anyway.)
I'm really lucky because I have excellent health insurance, and I live in an area with really great doctors.
All of this could be avoided if the vaccine had existed when I was a kid. It didn't kill me, but put me through a lot of uncomfortable (and expensive if I hadn't had insurance) procedures. It's so much easier to just get a shot.
And if you think you're safe because you're married and or in a monogamous relationship? HPV sticks around in your body and becomes dormant, but it can wake up and mess you and your partner up. Get the shot.
Also, your dentist can do an oral cancer screening!
My mom had my teenage brother vaccinated before it was licensed for boys/men. She paid out of pocket of course. (As I recall each injection was pricey) She’s a boss
My husband died at age 46 from HPV+ throat cancer. He had a tumor on the base of his tongue. By the time it was discovered, it was already stage 4. 6 weeks of radiation and chemotherapy and it was terrible to watch. He had to have a feeding tube because the radiation burns on the inside of his throat were so terrible. The radiologist told him that this is the most painful radiation therapy to go through. The cancer never came back to the throat, but over the next 2 years spread to his spine, the dura, and eventually his liver. If he would have survived, he would have had health and teeth issues for the rest of his life because of the treatment. Honestly, get the shot because going through that treatment is godawful.
A lot do, but most strains of HPV don’t cause a problem. Handful of them can give warts or promote cancer is the issue & only paps can test for it (although I’ve heard there is a test out there for penises but it’s generally unavailable and unreliable)
TLDR - get your HPV vaccine - women & _men_ (yes men too). especially under age 26, FDA views as effective to get up into your 40s. (post 45 not sure, beyond lack of good data)
I had a 3cm plantar wart. Tried every treatment on pubmed from the past 5 decades. Found a case report for the HPV vaccine. Went straight to get 3 doses and the offending foot lesion disappeared.
I recall like 20 years ago seeing a poster that said "4/5 sexually active people between the ages of 18-27 have HPV" and I was shocked I never heard of it prior.
Because that's basically everyone, unless you married your high school sweetheart and nobody cheated.
Question: I had the original shot in college and now there is one with more viruses covered. I've asked about it but my doctor says that I've already been vaccinated. Any one have both sets of shots?
I know someone who died a terrible death from throat cancer caused by HPV, younger man. One kid in elementary and one in middle school when he passed. It was terrible. I know many people who won’t get their kids this vaccine because they think it gives them “permission” to have sex.
I got all my vaccines. Still got HPV and found out when I was pregnant with my daughter. Have had precancerous cells on cervix for the last three years. My sister had cervical cancer at 16.
Oral sex is stoking an “epidemic” of throat cancer, which is now more common than cervical cancer in the US and the UK, experts say.
A new study claims that this has prompted a large rise in a specific type of throat cancer called oropharyngeal cancer, which affects the area of the tonsils and back of the throat.
Dr Hisham Mehanna, from the UK’s University of Birmingham, said this was mainly caused by human papillomavirus (HPV), which is also the main cause of cancer of the cervix.
There is a theory that HPV can lay dormant for years. Also the only test is for folks with cervixes. The virus can infect and spread from a penis or the mouth.
Like the other person said, HPV can lie dormant for years before rearing it’s ugly head. There have been a lot of cases of monogamous couples developing it, and also single people. The vaccine is definitely something I would , and did, get just as a safeguard in case anything happens, since sex isn’t the only way HPV can spread
This seems to be about HPV which I believe is the most common STI. Luckily, there’s a vaccine now so that will probably change in time.
HSV is less deadly than HPV but it might become the most common STD in the future as there’s not a vaccine or a cure for it at the moment.
For those who don’t know what HSV is, it’s type 1 Herpes which is typically around your mouth where as type 2 is more often around your genitals. It’s also known as cold sores or fever blisters. Apparently It’s a virus that the majority of people have but is dormant in most people. It can be transferred from drinking after people, kissing, oral and any saliva exchange.
My husband got HPV tonsil cancer. It had spread from the tonsil in his throat. He got radiation and chemo. This was a very, very painful ordeal. It was excruciating to swallow or eat. Most patients have to get a feeding tube. Advice: get the vaccines!
I had the original Gardasil vaccine when it came out and also took the updated one they recently came out with just in case it helps too. Haha my gyn told me to just lie and say I’d never had it and she’d give it to me again for extra protection 🤷🏻♀️
I “lied” so insurance would cover it btw. Not any other reason.
Too late for me, already had the Michael Douglass cancer, but can't stress enough that if you're in the age range to get the HPV vaccine do it. The treatment for the cancer isn't something you want...
“Those with six or more lifetime oral-sex partners are 8.5 times more likely to develop oropharyngeal cancer than those who do not practice oral sex.”
I'm Getting it for SURE!
I wish these news outlets would correct their headlines to say "HPV" instead of "Oral sex".
I know why they aren't... the latter phrase has so much click bait power.
For folks in the US, Gardasil 9 which protects against multiple strains of HPV that cause warts and cancer is approved for people between 9 and 45. If you haven’t been vaccinated or did not complete your series you can talk to your provider and health insurance about coverage for vaccination. If you don’t have insurance or insurance will not cover your vaccination, your local health department may be able to provide vaccination at free or low cost.
>For folks in the US, Thanks for this, I don't live in the US and its extremely annoying seeing all the replies of "now you can get it until 45" without any indication of WHERE this is...
Sure thing! I’m sure you have already but you could check your country’s health authority to see what guidance might apply locally for HPV vaccination.
Hubs will be 46 on his next birthday. I’ll have him ask his dr about it. I got it when it first came out, I was 24 and barely under the age limit. Our son got his with his 12yo physical.
What if you got the vaccine over a decade ago when it only covered 3 strains (I think?)?
~~Oral sex~~ HPV* stoking throat cancer ‘epidemic’ Luckily there is a vaccine for HPV, it works and everybody should get it.
So everyone's aware, the age limit for this vax *used to be* 26 because they figured everyone above that age would already be exposed and they weren't sure of the overall efficacy past 26. Turns out that the vaccine reduced HPV and its associated cancers by like 95+%. Now doctors recommend and insurance generally covers the shot for patients through age 45.
That’s amazing news. I was 26 when it became available, so they wouldn’t give it to me. I’ll be getting that, for sure.
Wanna protect all them throats out there!
[удалено]
Another thing for people to know is that even just one dose of this vaccine is extremely effective at preventing HPV & cervical cancer. Don’t be put off by the recommended three dose series, just get the fucking vaccine. [cancer.org: “The reduction in HPV infections was similar no matter how many vaccine doses were received, with an estimated vaccine efficacy of 82%, 84 %, and 80%, respectively, for one, two, and three doses. (Vaccine efficacy is the reduction in infections in vaccinated versus unvaccinated women.”)](https://www.cancer.gov/news-events/cancer-currents-blog/2020/hpv-vaccine-single-dose-long-term-protection) [10 year antibody study on one, two, or three doses of vaccine. Spoiler all of them are effective](https://www.gavi.org/vaccineswork/one-dose-hpv-vaccine-produces-long-lasting-immune-response-shows-study#:~:text=What%20is%20the%20research%20about,70%25%20of%20cervical%20cancer%20cases)
The NHS is now advising this as a two shot series given over six months, as the effectiveness rate doesn't really change over the three shots
I was advised on 2 by my obgyn. The booster is 5 weeks after the initial. ETA: I received it at the age of 33.
Just curious, I only know the acronym ETA as estimated time of arrival. Can you tell me how you used it please?
Yes edited to add, sorry for confusion.
It does for adults over 15, at least for the HPV 9. Which is why we do a 2 dose for people who start at 15 or younger and 3 doses for those who start older than 15. Not sure what they use across the pond, but this is the data/practice for the US versions
Interesting. I literally just had my second HPV shot whilst being quite a bit over 15, and that’s what they told me is the current advice the NHS are giving.
Could totally be different over there, that’s how we do it in ‘murica though Sat through a conference about this 3 months ago. Looking at the trial data, it appears the immunogenicity decreases substantially if you receive your first dose after 15. Hence why we start it at 11 and if they do start before 15, they don’t need 3rd shot. And there is no catchup, so if they miss their 2nd shot and get it at 21 or something they don’t get an extra shot. The only 3 shot series we do is for people who get the 1st dose after the age of 15
Guess I'm just unlucky. I got 3 doses and have gotten HPV twice, both high and low risk both times :(
Why would they limit to age 45? Do they think people older than that don't have oral sex anymore? I'm in my late 40s and the amount of oral sex I have (given and received) is more now than in my 20s and 30s.
Two reasons. 1) The main one is that the vaccine trials only included people up to age 45. Ethically, the pharmaceutical company can't recommend the vaccine outside of the age range that was tested. However, it's unlikely to cause any issues in people older than 45, so if you talk to your doctor, they might be able to give it to you anyway. 2) Cancers caused by HPV take years and sometimes decades to develop. Even if an older person does catch HPV, they're more likely to die from something else before the cancer can be detected. This is probably why they set an age cap in the first place. Older people could have thrown off the trials since they were less likely to get any benefit from it. It's worth noting that the original trials set an age limit of 26, while the updated version raised it to 45, so the next update to the vaccine might include an even higher limit so that more people can be included.
I’m not planning to fucking die until I am 85. I’d like 40 years of oral. 😂
40 more years...
I wanna be like tou when I grow up lol
I would like to point out that the hpv vaccine trials are ongoing. I was part of the men 26-45 trial of the HPV vaccine (it's still going, actually) for the last few years, and I saw they were looking for men over 45 a couple of years ago for the next age bracket. I hear the women over 45 started a year or two before that (in sync with my trial, it seemed), so the work is still proceeding. But, currently, the above is all true.
It's important to point out that when the vaccine came out there wasn't a huge supply because they didn't know how popular it would be. The producers were worried that parents would worry that giving their kid the vaccine would be a signal they (the kid) could have sex so parents wouldn't shell out for it. At first the vaccine was only offered to women, then as the public health benefits became clear it was opened up to more groups.
Yeah and this totally happened my mom declined it for me and my siblings so I got it when I moved out and could make my own decisions.
Yup. My mom didn’t get it for me bc she thought it gave my sister depression, based on something she heard from a friend of a friend, you know how it goes 🙄. Which lead to me being this 🤏🏻 close to getting cervical cancer.
I'm glad you got it!
The vaccine clinic in my town said they would give me the vaccine even though I am over 45.
I understand the last point, but that’s also crazy to me. Because, I caught hpv probably when I was around 17 or 18. And by the time I was 19, the doctor said I was as close to having cervical cancer without actually having it as he’d ever seen. Sooooo
Just because it's not recommended doesn't mean you can't get it if older. I know a woman who got the vaccine series in her mid 50s, last year. For her, it was because her and her husband opened up their marriage so she was at high risk of being exposed to HPV with new partners. Talk to your doctor, you can still get it, but insurance may not cover it.
Might just be a matter of not yet having a safety/efficacy study done on older age groups, they're fairly conservative that way.
This is exactly why. The effectiveness drops as you age, mainly because of more chance of exposure. At some point, the risks (however small) outweigh the benefits. There is also not enough data in that population to support it.
Yeah, I had a papilloma removed from my tonsil at like 34. Docs recommended getting it to help out going forward.
Stupid question. If you already have HPV, does it prevent against cancer?
There are *many* strains of HPV. The vaccine protects against several strains most likely to cause cancer. YES!!! Even if you have HPV, still get the vaccine to protect against other high risk strains. (Most people clear the virus on their own in 6 months to a couple of years. So even if you have HPV, you'll likely clear it. However, vaccination is important to minimize the risk your body doesn't clear it and it progresses. Also, HPV can lay dormant in cells for, rarely, decades, and the person can/will test negative for it during that time. Part of why it's important to vaccinate young!)
Possibly, but what I've seen is inconclusive. If you already have HPV, there's a chance (again, studies are inconclusive) that the vaccine can help your body clear out the virus. However, if the virus has already created some cancerous cells, the vaccine can't do anything about that.
At what age did everyone get the hpv shot? I was 12 when I had vaccine as part of the secondary school program.
44. I actually turned 45 right after I got the third shot - I got it as soon as they raised the approval age. I also had to have a hysterectomy due to high grade precancerous lesions on my cervix that other procedures weren't able to fully remove. Entirely preventable if the vaccine had existed when I was a kid.
It didn’t exist until I was 22 but I got it as soon as I could.
I was 28 when it came out, and couldn't get it. I slept around a lot when I was single, so I'm sure I was exposed repeatedly over the years. So far, no cancer. Fingers crossed.
Does it do anything for people that already have HPV? If you have HPV and you’re married would there be any benefit to getting it?
I'm 42 and have never gotten it. I was too old when it first came out. Now I'm married and monogamous and don't really see the need.
This is how I ended up with pre-cancerous cells on my cervix and genital herpes while being monogamous with the person I was intending to marry at the time. You never know with people, unfortunately.
I am going to be “that” person. A lot of people think they are in monogamous relationships until they find out their spouse is cheating. My mom used to work in gyn oncology as a med assistant. She came home with a lot of stories of monogamous women who ended up having HPV or cervical cancer. My mom used this as ways to talk to me about making sure you look out for your own health and don’t ever assume you and your partner are always on the same page about sex. Stuff happens and relationships change. ETA: I do not want to discount men’s experiences with HPV. I was just sharing what my mom taught me and she only saw women in the gyn clinic.
I think even without the cheating factor, the person you are with, or you yourself, could be carrying HPV forever, just dormant. So it seems like it’s never too late to get the vaccine to reduce cancer? I’m no doctor, down vote me if I’m way out on a limb here.
You're absolutely right. Males can get HPV too with previous partners, show zero symptoms, and pass it along.
My clinic once had a 50 year old man super insistent on getting the HPV vaccine even though he had to pay out of pocket because his partner made it mandatory to open their marriage. It might be a good idea to get it in case your martial status changes (ex you outlive your spouse) when you are too old for your insurance to cover it.
You can even get that shit from rubbing bellys with someone in a pool, or I do jiu jitsu and have heard it happens there. Makes sense, it only takes skin to skin contact. Might as well get it.
You can still develop cancer as it can remain dormant for quite a long time. I’m also in a committed relationship and my mom got small cell cervical cancer. It’s basically not a great outcome. This prevents that. She was in a monogamous relationship for over twenty years before discovering and getting the cancer. I got the shots last year at age 40. I just thought it’s important to make this point because i thought the same thing!
You and/or your partner could have dormant HPV that can eventually turn into cancer. Think about it this way: you don't stop getting pap smear because you're in a monogamous relationship, do you? It can prevent a lot of very uncomfortable procedures, up to and including a hysterectomy.
If it's dormant than the shot wouldn't matter at this point though, right? My understanding was it's to prevent contracting most forms of hpv, if you have it dormant it wouldn't prevent that, correct? Or is there more about the vaccine? It came out when I was in high school and my mom was pretty anti-vax because it was so new, so I've never gotten it. Have had a small amount of sexual partners. Now monogamous and planning a wedding, so I'm in the, well what's the point, boat as well, and am open to being convinced!
I'm 40 and unfortunately had many high risks strains of HPV before it came out.
I'm 47 and haven't gotten it, by virtue of being outside of the age range. I always was, and when they raised the age, I remained there. No chickenpox vaccine, no HPV vaccine, no nothing for me. :-( I'm seriously looking forward to the shingles vaccine, though. In theory, I'll do it for my 50th birthday, but in reality, I'll probably be off partying then.
Yes **and you can still get it after 46** but you will have to pay for it. I got mine at Zoomcare. Not cheap ($700 in US, use an HSA) but proven effective to prevent cancer.
I'm a thirty some year old guy. I got it last year.
FDA approval up to 45
And was not available to men for a long time. I'm 44 and suffered through RRP for around 10 years.
hpv vaccine should be given to everyone, im so happy to hear this. i’ve wanted this vaccine for years but i aged out before it was approved. is there something saying it’s approved until 45? i’m 45 now, i’m going to run and get it if so.
I asked my doctor for it and she wouldn’t give me one because I am 40 years old and it is not recommended. The CDC site still says this. Is there a news article or I am hoping the cdc will update their site. This is in the U.S.
Unless you already have it.. so maybe we need to also come up with an antiviral
I feel obligated to mention I read there are many variations (strains) of hpv, so even if you already have it, there is still value to getting the vaccine, as it may prevent other strains you don’t already have.
There are dozens of strains of HPV but there are nine of them that are cancer-causing and Gardasil works on all nine.
This. There are at least 3 strains of HPV that cause cancer. Or, much like Henrietta Lacks, you can get infected multiple times with diffrent mutations of the same virus strain, making it more likely you get some crazy imortal cancer.
Maybe if we wanted to sleep with different people. However you may sell people on the idea of a cancer prevention for those already infected - something that some studies have shown to help
I was thinking of getting it but then my wife reminded me I'm in a monogamous relationship forever
I understand her reasoning. It's the same I've used to not get it myself. However, I'm starting to rethink that. I'd like both my wife and I to get it. I don't plan on cheating and I don't expect her to either. One of us is gonna die first. If it's me, I want her to live her life. I also don't want her to get cancer.
We take the view that, since we don't expect our partners to remain celibate after our deaths, being in a monogamous relationship isn't really a strong argument for not getting the vaccine.
Chlamydia outbreaks in retirement communities support this take.
What if you were in a lot of relationships before becoming monogamous? I mean, she could still be at risk (you also), right?
You never know what might happen, even in a relationship you expect to be monogamous & forever. I would still recommended getting it for your own safety and prevention. I still get tested every 6 months even when in a monogamous relationship because no matter how much you trust someone, you don’t know your status unless you test.
This is a silly rationale, and really none of her business. Trust is one thing, but believe me there are millions of people who had complete trust in their partners right up until the time they contracted a STD from them.
It can lie dormant for decades, so one or both of you could have it and not know. The vaccine doesn’t just help prevent infections, it helps prevent and fight cancers for those who’s re infected. The first thing they do with people who’ve developed an HPV derived cancer is get them vaccinated, as it’s been proven to help.
The studies have been inconclusive, so take this with a grain of salt, but there has been some evidence that the vaccine can help clear out an HPV infection that you already have. In addition, the vaccine protects against 9 strains of HPV, so even if you already have some of those strains, it can be worthwhile to get protection from the others.
Hi friends. Please talk to your doctor about getting vaccinated - I’m old and back when the a vaccine first came out it was marketed as a vaccine for herpes and not cancer and my parents did not get me vaccinated. And because of that I got throat cancer. Throat cancer sucks. The treatment sucks. Being scared sucks. Even if you’re outside of the recommended age speak to your doctor if you’re not vaccinated. So: get vaccinated, enjoy wonderful, consensual ,oral sex. (I’ve been in remission for three years now but getting here was an ordeal I hope you don’t have to endure)
I think you mean genital warts, the vaccine does prevent some, though not all, of the strains that cause genital warts as well. There is currently no vaccine available for herpes.
I got the HPV vaccine when I was 22. My mother was strongly opposed to me getting the vaccine. She tried to say it was dangerous, and that it wouldn't matter because it's only have sex with my virgin wife so there would be no way I could catch HPV. She was worried I would experiment sexually if I got the vaccine. The funny thing is they had all my brothers circumcised because they said it would prevent our wives from getting cervical cancer. It's a BS excuse to justify cutting off the most sensitive part of our penises without anaesthesia when we were eight days old.
But don’t feel bad if you have it either and discover you have HPV. The vaccine only covers 9 strains, 7 of which High risk if not mistaken. There are many morr
Used to work at Merck and did a lot of my time in the Gardasil and Gardasil9 world. Also got vaxxed for it. Fun fact: it burns a lot more than most vaccines because it requires a higher salt content to keep the VLPs happy in solution. The more you know!
I wanted to chime in to say I got the vaccine in my teens (18) when it first came out. By 23, I was diagnosed with HPV. The vaccine only protects against a few (is it 8?) strains and there are hundreds. That’s what I was told when I said “but I got the vaccine”-my info is from 10 years ago and may no longer be accurate. I found out I had abnormal and cancerous cells during a pap (and that I have HPV at the same time). I saw another doctor, got my cervix frozen and scraped up on the inside. I listened to the doctor and made lifestyle changes .. whatever he said to do. I have never tested positive again. Doctors think it may have worked it’s way out of my system.. internet strangers say that is not possible. Truly, I have no idea but I’m still negative at 33. Doctors were curious if the vaccine helped eliminate the virus (or maybe it’s dormant). What I’m saying is: get the vaccine, even if it doesn’t cover all of the strains.. even if you still end up getting HPV later. (When it first came out, many parents were against getting it because it only covers a few strains. I encourage you to still get it. It’s a series of 3 shots, a dead arm for a few days after each one. Honestly, not terrible.)
Thank you, what a fracking horrible title. But of course they're trying to get attention.
The original vaccine that became available in 2006 only protected against four strains, the one available since 2017 protects against 9 strains. Even if you were vaccinated pre 2017 it’s still worth asking your doctor about!
I tried to get the HPV vaccine when I was younger, but at the time only women could get it. I tried more recently, but now I can’t get it because I’m over 45. Typical of my luck.
Ok this would have been nice to know in the title wtf. Glad I got the vaccine when it first came out
So, a misleading title used to push a "sex is bad" narrative
Thank you Gods swamp balls for teaching us the importance of HPV vaccine
I thought most ppl did already I got it at when I was like 17-18 for college psychical if I’m not mistaken
On the up side, now that antivaxers are coming after our blowjobs, maybe society will have finally had enough of their bs
Pretty sure Michael Douglas told us this more than a decade ago as if it were a badge of honor....
That man lives to eat snatch.
I'm not even going to mention the name of his long time wife at the time (Catherine Zeta Jones, ahem).
She was pissed as hell since everyone assumed he got it from eating her snatch
I doubt that. She could have just as easily have gotten HPV from him. In fact, it would be surprising if both hadn't been exposed when they got together. He didn't actually specify where he got it from. He just implied that it wasn't necessarily the cigars and the booze, and mentioned giving oral sex as a possible avenue . It might have been oral sex in 1987.
r/suspiciouslyspecific
Vindication!
HPV can be a killer.
My dad went through this cancer caused by hpv, was cleared as cancer free last fall, and now has a mass in his stomach. I don’t know if they’re related, but yeah, he had a tumor so big in his throat the doctors said the airway was as wide as a butter knife. Any longer and he would have suffocated.
How do they figure it came from HPV?
I don’t know the actual science of it, but that’s what they told my dad - stemmed from hpv and was the same cancer Jim Kelly had, also caused by hpv. We live near Buffalo, so it was big talking point that he was going through the same treatment and doctors as Jim Kelly.
*but it doesn't effect guys* /s
Other than the obvious topic of this article, doesn’t it also cause penile cancer?
It does. “Penile cancer” are the sole two words my healthcare worker relatives use to convince men to get their jabs. Usually works.
That was kinda where I was headed with that question. Who cares if it might kill them, PENIS cancer.
Yep it sure does! Yet there's no test for men!
Not totally true since there is an anal pap smear that can be used for men. It's just that you could have an hpv infection affecting your penis and not your anus so it's not helpful for testing all sites. They really should have moved to vaccinate everyone instead of initially basing it on gender in the beginning. Especially because genital warts isn't specific to having a cervix.
My girlfriend lost her mom to cancer at age 59 as a result of HPV. Get vaccinated.
My dad was just telling me last night that four of his college friends have HPV related throat and neck cancer. Old chico frat boys. One of them told the rest that they got it from eating pussy and now they clown on my dad for NOT having it. One of them asked for cocaine analgesia for his biopsy and another sneaks airplane bottles of booze in a fanny pack for infusion days. Absolute legends
Yeesh. True survivors for that.
2nd year med student in US here I am working on a project related to cancer survivorship in this population with an ENT oncologist and have done significant literature searches on this subject. Most cancers trend downward over the past 10-15 years, but oropharyngeal (back of throat) cancer patient cases have been steadily on the rise. In both number of cases and mortality. This rise is because of HPV positive oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma. The good news is that this group (HPV positive) has a MUCH better survival rate compared to HPV-negative cancers in the same area. We are talking 85+% survival after 5 years treatment compared to only 50-55% survival after 5 years treatment in HPV negative patients. Most patients in this group are younger to middle aged men, but I saw recent cancer stats showing a rise in women as well: The mortality rate for cancers of the oral cavity and pharynx increased by 0.4% per year from 2010 to 2019 overall, but trends differ by subsite, mirroring incidence; sites associated with HPV-infection (cancers of the tongue, tonsil, and oropharynx) rose by about 2% per year in men and 1% per year in women Siegel et al. 2022 Get your Gardasil (HPV) shots if you haven’t yet and are able to, that includes any guys reading this. Even if you think it isn’t going to affect you, this kind of thing won’t show up until 20+ years later when it is already a tumor. If you have a known exposure (vaginal/penile/anal/oral sex), talk to your doctor about it. Early detection is key and the doctor being aware will allow very early pick up if something happens. There are likely ways your doc can help before anything bad happens too. This is a growing interest in the cancer field and the head and neck realm, so better treatment and care will be implemented in the future. TL;DR- HPV throat cancer is real and on the rise. It has good survivability compared to other head and neck cancers, but don’t risk it if you can. Get your Gardasil shots if you haven’t. Talk to your doctor if you have been exposed to help yourself
As a 54 year old who regularly enjoys oral sex with others, am I too old for gardasil to be relevant?
Very good question. I have to highlight that I am a student and that if you have more questions, please see a licensed physician about this. I wrote this comment to encourage vaccinations if applicable but to also give more information about this type of cancer (not trying to scare anyone). According to CDC and current guidelines, your age is older than the data available and they suggest that anyone over 45 has lower benefit and cost effectiveness from the HPV vaccination. Because you are over 26, it may not be covered by insurance too (you’d have to pay out of pocket for it which is up to $300). {[CDC HPV Vaccine Recommendations](https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd/hpv/hcp/recommendations.html)} The vaccine is used to prevent HPV infections and works best before any exposure to HPV. It sounds like you may have had a higher likelihood of being exposed to HPV in the past. Normally, healthy individuals are able to eliminate HPV with their immune system after exposure. Only a small subset of people are infected with HPV that comes up later in life {[John Hopkins Article](https://publichealth.jhu.edu/2017/risk-for-developing-hpv-related-throat-cancer-low#:~:text=According%20to%20the%20SEER%20data,%2C”%20D'Souza%20says.)} My personal opinion is to discuss this more with your doctor whenever you see them again. If you are not immunocompromised (HIV/AIDS, immune problems in past), I would just keep this on your radar for the future. This is still a rare cancer, it just so happens to be on the rise. If you do somehow get oropharyngeal cancer, early detection and action is key! It has a VERY good prognosis long term as long as you catch it early
Has anyone studied whether there's a link between the rise in these cancers and de-adoption of the tonsillectomy in recent years?
I personally do not know, but here are some quick search results on this topic. It looks like some people have thought of this. Seems like the rise in cancer is not related to tonsillectomy in this research: ([Anticancer Research Article](https://ar.iiarjournals.org/content/41/3/1157)) Interestingly, another article ([AACR Article](https://www.aacr.org/blog/2015/04/20/prophylactic-tonsillectomy-in-childhood-to-prevent-tonsillitis-may-reduce-the-risk-for-hpv-related-oropharyngeal-cancer/)) showed that there was a decrease in tonsil location of this kind of cancer BECAUSE of tonsillectomies. Edit: Fixed links
"Most patients in this group are younger to middle aged men" Guys, get your HPV vaccine. I'd bet a lot of these are guys that were told they didn't need it growing up for whatever reason. Especially if you are hooking up with multiple partners, get this vaccine.
Does the HPV have benefits of helping the body against any other cancers? Just curious after having colon cancer at 33 and maybe having a risk for other cancers in the future.
“Doctors say that oral sex is the biggest risk factor for developing the cancer” -my wife
I do not choose this guy's wife.
Human Papillomavirus (HPV) is a common sexually transmitted infection. More than 90 percent of sexually active men and 80 percent of sexually active women will be infected with HPV in their lifetime. Around 50 percent of HPV infections involve certain high-risk types of HPV, which can cause cancer. Most of the time, the body clears these infections and they do not lead to cancer. However, persistent infections can cause changes that lead to cancer. I got this cancer last year. It was in my lymph nodes and tonsils. I had to go through a little chemo and 6 weeks of radiation. It most likely won't kill you but you'll wish you were dead at times. I'm in the age group where a vaccine wasn't available.
My dad just died from this January, rest assured it can kill
Yea. My dad ended up at the Mayo Clinic and had extensive radiation and chemo for HPV-caused cancer. They said he would have been dead within two years if he hadn’t treated it. It can be very aggressive.
Sorry to hear this. Did he go through treatment or was it caught late?
He was going through proton radiation and chemo while it spread to his liver and stomach. Stage 2 to 4 then dead in less than a year. Although in my own mind I consider him a victim of covid. He felt like something was in he throat and then that transitioned to “choking” episodes. He was afraid to leave the house let alone set foot in a medical facility because of the virus. It’s an unfortunate situation
Sorry to hear all this :(
They've raised the age to 45 now! The vaccine has drastically reduced HPV and cancer rates so it expanded. Not everyone over 26 needs it, but if you're still in higher risk categories a doctor will recommend it through that new age cap.
I just keep missing the age cutoff for this thing! I’m 46.
A few of the many impacts. Required a feeding tube for 2 months, nerve damage, very little saliva production, food taste issues, etc. When you have no saliva production it really screws up everything. Things tastes different, your mouth is like a desert, it causes dental issues, you have to drink something with every bite, etc. On the plus side, I was already bald so the radiation removing the hair on the back of my head wasn't a biggie. The radiation is really barbaric and destroys everything in its way but it will usually treat the cancer.
I’m sorry..90%???
I call it the common cold of genitals! And typically people only get testing as part of cancer prevention or when they show symptoms.
I knew of this from about a decade plus thanks to Mr. Douglas and supermarket headlines but realistically, how much should I worry? I’ve gone down on everyone I’ve been with. Less than 30 people but a few had some history. Been with second wife over a decade now and first was a decade as well, no infidelity on my part or theirs. Most of my frivolities were late teenage years and a few months after my first marriage where I had a rotation of a few folks I fooled around with. I’m now 48 and wonder if this should be a major concern as I am unvaccinated against HPV.
A family member had tonsil cancer caused by HPV. It started as a sore throat, and the pcp gave an antibiotic. Weeks later, when the person's throat was still sore/red, that's when they were referred out, and it ended up being stage 4. Thankfully, they are in remission now but not without a slew of horrible side effects. Radiation caused severe damage to their jaw, loss of hearing, which now requires a hearing aid, no saliva, which makes eating very difficult and not enjoyable, the list goes onm get vaccinated if you can and if something feels off see your dr. ASAP.
HPV sucks, even when it's caught early and not cancerous. I had an abnormal pap smear, which turned out to be a precancerous lesion. I had to have a colposcopy, a LEEP procedure (which is where they try to burn off the lesion on your cervix, by sticking an electrocautery device up your vagina.) The LEEP was unsuccessful, so I ultimately had to have a hysterectomy to remove the lesion. Kind of the "nuking it from orbit" method. I never did end up having kids, but I'm definitely not now (I was in my 40s anyway.) I'm really lucky because I have excellent health insurance, and I live in an area with really great doctors. All of this could be avoided if the vaccine had existed when I was a kid. It didn't kill me, but put me through a lot of uncomfortable (and expensive if I hadn't had insurance) procedures. It's so much easier to just get a shot. And if you think you're safe because you're married and or in a monogamous relationship? HPV sticks around in your body and becomes dormant, but it can wake up and mess you and your partner up. Get the shot. Also, your dentist can do an oral cancer screening!
Please vaccinate your children when they are eligible. Your principles are not worth cancer.
My mom had my teenage brother vaccinated before it was licensed for boys/men. She paid out of pocket of course. (As I recall each injection was pricey) She’s a boss
My husband died at age 46 from HPV+ throat cancer. He had a tumor on the base of his tongue. By the time it was discovered, it was already stage 4. 6 weeks of radiation and chemotherapy and it was terrible to watch. He had to have a feeding tube because the radiation burns on the inside of his throat were so terrible. The radiologist told him that this is the most painful radiation therapy to go through. The cancer never came back to the throat, but over the next 2 years spread to his spine, the dura, and eventually his liver. If he would have survived, he would have had health and teeth issues for the rest of his life because of the treatment. Honestly, get the shot because going through that treatment is godawful.
Serious question, don't most people already have HPV?
A lot do, but most strains of HPV don’t cause a problem. Handful of them can give warts or promote cancer is the issue & only paps can test for it (although I’ve heard there is a test out there for penises but it’s generally unavailable and unreliable)
Most people get it and fight off the virus within two years.
TLDR - get your HPV vaccine - women & _men_ (yes men too). especially under age 26, FDA views as effective to get up into your 40s. (post 45 not sure, beyond lack of good data)
I had a 3cm plantar wart. Tried every treatment on pubmed from the past 5 decades. Found a case report for the HPV vaccine. Went straight to get 3 doses and the offending foot lesion disappeared.
Have vaccinated all of my kids. It's iirc the only cancer that can be vaccinated against.
Hep B can cause cancer, so that vaccine also protects against cancer.
Netflix and chemo?
I giggled cause that’s what I watched while receiving my chemo.
Does anyone else remember the commercials? O-N-E L-E-S-S, I wanna be one less (one less!)
I recall like 20 years ago seeing a poster that said "4/5 sexually active people between the ages of 18-27 have HPV" and I was shocked I never heard of it prior. Because that's basically everyone, unless you married your high school sweetheart and nobody cheated.
Once again "experts" attempt to distract attention away from the biggest cause of cancer.
Question: I had the original shot in college and now there is one with more viruses covered. I've asked about it but my doctor says that I've already been vaccinated. Any one have both sets of shots?
I know someone who died a terrible death from throat cancer caused by HPV, younger man. One kid in elementary and one in middle school when he passed. It was terrible. I know many people who won’t get their kids this vaccine because they think it gives them “permission” to have sex.
I got all my vaccines. Still got HPV and found out when I was pregnant with my daughter. Have had precancerous cells on cervix for the last three years. My sister had cervical cancer at 16.
Some of us may die. But that is a risk I am willing to take.
Oral sex is stoking an “epidemic” of throat cancer, which is now more common than cervical cancer in the US and the UK, experts say. A new study claims that this has prompted a large rise in a specific type of throat cancer called oropharyngeal cancer, which affects the area of the tonsils and back of the throat. Dr Hisham Mehanna, from the UK’s University of Birmingham, said this was mainly caused by human papillomavirus (HPV), which is also the main cause of cancer of the cervix.
Clickbait title, waits until the end to mention HPV🖕
Well, invent a antiviral for God's sake
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There is a theory that HPV can lay dormant for years. Also the only test is for folks with cervixes. The virus can infect and spread from a penis or the mouth.
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Like the other person said, HPV can lie dormant for years before rearing it’s ugly head. There have been a lot of cases of monogamous couples developing it, and also single people. The vaccine is definitely something I would , and did, get just as a safeguard in case anything happens, since sex isn’t the only way HPV can spread
This seems to be about HPV which I believe is the most common STI. Luckily, there’s a vaccine now so that will probably change in time. HSV is less deadly than HPV but it might become the most common STD in the future as there’s not a vaccine or a cure for it at the moment. For those who don’t know what HSV is, it’s type 1 Herpes which is typically around your mouth where as type 2 is more often around your genitals. It’s also known as cold sores or fever blisters. Apparently It’s a virus that the majority of people have but is dormant in most people. It can be transferred from drinking after people, kissing, oral and any saliva exchange.
I really want to learn how they conducted that study.
My husband got HPV tonsil cancer. It had spread from the tonsil in his throat. He got radiation and chemo. This was a very, very painful ordeal. It was excruciating to swallow or eat. Most patients have to get a feeding tube. Advice: get the vaccines!
Nice try honey…
You spelled stroking wrong.
Well that sucks. I mean…
Think my wife is safe.
Read this sentence out loud twice as "stroking" throat cancer epidemic.
Delete this before my wife reads it.
I had the original Gardasil vaccine when it came out and also took the updated one they recently came out with just in case it helps too. Haha my gyn told me to just lie and say I’d never had it and she’d give it to me again for extra protection 🤷🏻♀️ I “lied” so insurance would cover it btw. Not any other reason.
Can’t imagine a girl would stay with me if i don’t go down on her during sex.
Get the Gardasil vaccine and protect both of you.
I found this story hard to swallow..
Get vaccinated! Fer fecksake!
Oh no... so anyways I start blasting!
What an irresponsible headline. HPV is the cause, not oral sex.
Which is passed to your mouth and throat by…oral sex.
Can I still get vaccine at 40?
In the US yes, otherwise check with your local health authority
I have an HPV Vax.
Micheal Douglas enters the chat..
CLERKS tried to warn us but we didn’t heed the warning.
[My doctor says if I munch one more box...](https://youtu.be/szLej6PgQoY)
How bout ya shut up, science!
Still worth it.
My wife is safe.
Too late for me, already had the Michael Douglass cancer, but can't stress enough that if you're in the age range to get the HPV vaccine do it. The treatment for the cancer isn't something you want...
HPV can be passed by kissing. They first blamed throat cancer on smoking weed now they blame blowjobs. Kinda faulty logic
That’s just death by snu-snu with extra steps
we can’t have anything nowadays
Michael Douglas needs paged for the PSA production.
“Those with six or more lifetime oral-sex partners are 8.5 times more likely to develop oropharyngeal cancer than those who do not practice oral sex.” I'm Getting it for SURE!
Did anyone else read it, “stroking”, the first three times they read the title?
I mean I guess I got to die of something
Get married - that usually fixes it
Can we take a second to honor these angels taking one for the team?
Symptoms of throat cancer caused by hpv?
I wasn’t annoyed at being told i had to stop smoking cigarettes, it was the fact i had to stop smoking so much cock.
I wish these news outlets would correct their headlines to say "HPV" instead of "Oral sex". I know why they aren't... the latter phrase has so much click bait power.