Audrey-B

Friends and i were discussing the discovery of certain strains of HPV leading to throat/neck cancer. Has anybody else been worried/curious about this phenomenon?

I did some research on the net and doctors have done studies on throat cancer and in a lot of the cases certain strains of HPV were found - the same ones which cause cervical cancer. I think from memory the main strains are HPV 16 and 18.

Reports also stated that the more oral sex partners you had the more likelihood of this possibly occuring, especially if you had more than 5 (according to one report). If you were a smoker or a drinker it increased your chances.

The problem is that with this form of cancer it takes years to detect/become full blown. They said that most of the people affected were in there 40's and 50's and they believe it's due to these people being teenagers when the sexual revolution occured. It's the reason they are worried about teens today as they feel oral sex is ok as it prevents pregnancy and girls can keep their virginity if they are 'saving' themselves for marriage.

Reading some of the reports has scared me enough to sit up and take notice. I havne't 'been around' as they say, but that's beside the point as it doesn't matter whether you have only had a couple or many partners, i guess if you get infected you get infected.

My question would be, if (as a female) you get regular pap smear and there is no HPV, then that should surely mean you could not have the virus living within the throat?

Anybody with any ideas or know much about this area? as i had not even known it was possible until somebody mentioned they had read a report on it.