HPV And Oral Cancer

The human papillomavirus, which is responsible for most cases of cervical cancer, may also cause a form of Oral Cancer.

Researchers from Johns Hopkins University also found some evidence that the throat tumors caused by HPV may be less deadly than forms of the cancer caused by smoking or alcohol.  The researchers could not say exactly how HPV, a sexually transmitted disease, would be present in people's throats, but they said it could be spread through oral sex or even unwashed hands.  HPV related tumours were found to progress less rapidly than the other varieties. This could be because HPV-caused tumors may not invade deep tissues and spread as quickly as other tumors, the researchers say.  As a result of these findings, Hopkins researchers who have been working on an experimental vaccine for cervical cancer are preparing to test it on some oral cancer patients too.