‘Head’-ing for Cancer? (Rated R)

Not long ago a friend called me late at night, disturbed by some information she discovered about her teen-aged son.  She overheard a conversation between her son and his friend during which the son admitted to being “serviced” by a girl at school who was not his girlfriend.  After reeling from the shock of her discovery, my friend’s thoughts turned to health and safety.  She asked, ”are there any diseases that can be transmitted this way?”

 

You bet.  There are several.

 

One virus that can be transmitted by this route is the human papillomavirus (HPV).  New research shows that in the United States, 64% of cancers of the mouth and throat are caused by HPV.  In the rest of the world, tobacco is still the leading cause of oral cancer.  You may be wondering “how on earth can this virus get into someone’s mouth and throat?”

 

You guessed it.  If someone is a carrier of HPV they can potentially infect another person through intimate contact.  Furthermore, the more partners someone has had, the greater their risk of contracting HPV.  This is pretty much the rule for all sexually transmitted infections.

 

Now before you label me a complete killjoy, let me say this.  I am not advocating for or against any specific sexual act.  Nor am I saying that you will die from cancer if you participate (nor will you grow hair on your eyeballs, etc., etc.).  HPV is a risk factor for certain cancers, not an absolute determinant.  What I am suggesting is that all of us, especially young people, should treat our bodies with reverence and respect.  If I had the ear of that young girl who was so helpful to my friend’s son, I would advise her not to scatter herself among her male classmates like confetti.  As it turns out, the risk she engenders is may be more than her young mind–or medical science–can even comprehend.