Michael Douglas says cunnilingus gives you cancer – but is he right?

[joebloggs]

Michael Douglas, who was diagnosed with throat cancer in 2010, says oral sex was the cause. But what's the risk?


2,000 cases a year, from how many people ?

When it comes to oral cancers, here's a rough guide to the statistics. In 2010, around 6,000 people were diagnosed. For comparison, in 2010 there were also 2,850 diagnoses of cervical cancer and 49,900 diagnoses of breast cancer.

Noting the above caveats, it's calculated that between 25% and 35% of oral cancers are HPV-related – meaning it seems to be involved in somewhere between 1,500 to 2,000 diagnoses a year.

read more here .. http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/datab...x-cancer-facts

[imagine]

better lick it n stick it

[grahamw48]

Damn....and I thought this was about an Irish airline.

Anyway, I won't stick my nose in where it doesn't belong.

[joebloggs]

Damn....and I thought this was about an Irish airline.

Anyway, I won't stick my nose in where it doesn't belong.

i don't think its your nose you have to worry about

i wonder how much Douglas was

[Arthur Little]

Michael Douglas, who was diagnosed with throat cancer in 2010, says *oral sex was the cause.

Oh well ... I MUST say, *that > takes some "licking"!

[grahamw48]

Sorry Joe, I'm having to think back too far to be able to make any useful contribution.

[Arthur Little]

Oh well ... I MUST say, *that > takes some "licking"!

... put ANOTHER way ... it takes TWO to "tango"!

[robbie bobby]

Michael Douglas, who was diagnosed with throat cancer in 2010, says oral sex was the cause. But what's the risk?


2,000 cases a year, from how many people ?

When it comes to oral cancers, here's a rough guide to the statistics. In 2010, around 6,000 people were diagnosed. For comparison, in 2010 there were also 2,850 diagnoses of cervical cancer and 49,900 diagnoses of breast cancer.

Noting the above caveats, it's calculated that between 25% and 35% of oral cancers are HPV-related – meaning it seems to be involved in somewhere between 1,500 to 2,000 diagnoses a year.

read more here .. http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/datab...x-cancer-facts

What a load of bocks

[Michael Parnham]

Don't believe it, what rubbish, if it was true half the world population would have throat cancer

[imagine]

and theres me thinking it was a health benefit

[stevewool]

must have been a right tw----t

[Doc Alan]

Michael Douglas may be a cunning linguist, but is he a master debater, and was he right ?


Yes … but not completely. It’s possible to identify HPV which is closely associated with the type of cancer he had, and acquired by sexual transmission ( cunnilingus in his case ). However, other factors are significant ( smoking, alcohol excess, “ recreational drugs “, and age over 60 ) … all decreasing immunity and increasing the chance of throat cancer.


He’s WRONG, in my opinion, to imply incompetence by “ a series of specialists ( who ) missed the tumour “, prescribing antibiotics, until “ a friend’s doctor “ spotted the tumour “ that no other doctor had seen “. This is a RARE cancer ( 1 out of 50 ) and hard to diagnose because other commoner conditions should be considered first. There is also no evidence that cunnilingus could then help cure his cancer.


He is indeed lucky to be alive two years after treatment with drugs and radiation.


HPV is common – most sexually active adults will have been exposed to at least one of the 100(+) variants of HPV. Oral infection in men is commoner ( possibly 1/10 ) than in women. Most such infection is harmless and clears spontaneously.


Persistent infection with high-risk HPV (especially type 16) MAY cause cancer of the cervix, vulva, vagina, anus, penis, and ( in MD’s case ) oropharynx / throat. HPV infects epithelium and produces new viral particles in mature epithelial cells. It disrupts normal cell-cycle control, promoting uncontrolled cell division and genetic damage.



Of course, HPV is not the only danger of having unprotected oral sex. Sexually transmitted diseases ( like herpes, syphilis, gonorrhea , chlamydia and even HIV ) can also be spread by this means.



Cervical cancer is FAR commoner than mouth cancer, especially in the Philippines. Almost all cases are caused by HPV ( other factors such as smoking increase risk ). Not only can cervical screening pick up early ( pre-cancerous ) changes in cells, but a vaccine is also available – both in UK and Philippines. It may prevent benign warts ( papillomas ) and cancers. This is the “ quadrivalent “ vaccine ( “ Gardasil “ ) produced by Merck, and recommended for vaccinating teenage girls both in UK and Philippines. Another ( “ bivalent “ ) vaccine ( “ Cervarix “ ) produced by GlaxoSmithKline, protects against cancers alone. Both have recently become MUCH cheaper, thanks to pressure on the companies producing them.



There is a case for recommending HPV vaccination for boys as well as girls. It hasn’t ( yet ) been recommended for boys in UK or Philippines – cervical screening and vaccination of girls are the first priorities. However, Gardasil is being made available free to boys in Australia, and is recommended in the USA. This recognises the fact that oral sex is commoner now, especially in teenagers and young adults. Clearly also gay men can’t benefit from vaccination confined to girls.



One result of Michael Douglas’s oral sex cancer claim is publicity for vaccination against HPV ; hopefully also more awareness that unprotected oral sex does have risks of sexually transmitted diseases and cancers. Whether his wife and family are happy with his surprisingly frank interview and claims in “ The Guardian “ newspaper are another matter.

[les_taxi]

I don't like the image of him it has put in my head

[Pete/London]

Like the old joke of the Bishop visiting his Doctor for a check up!

Doctor: Bad news, you have a sexually transmitted disease,

Bishop: What!! I must have caught it off a lavatory seat!

Doctor: Well you must have chewed it as the infections in your mouth

[Arthur Little]

and theres me thinking it was a health benefit

Nah ... he's just using "cunning lingo" as an excuse to boast about all the "blow jobs" he's had!

[Michael Parnham]

Michael Douglas may be a cunning linguist, but is he a master debater, and was he right ?


Yes … but not completely. It’s possible to identify HPV which is closely associated with the type of cancer he had, and acquired by sexual transmission ( cunnilingus in his case ). However, other factors are significant ( smoking, alcohol excess, “ recreational drugs “, and age over 60 ) … all decreasing immunity and increasing the chance of throat cancer.


He’s WRONG, in my opinion, to imply incompetence by “ a series of specialists ( who ) missed the tumour “, prescribing antibiotics, until “ a friend’s doctor “ spotted the tumour “ that no other doctor had seen “. This is a RARE cancer ( 1 out of 50 ) and hard to diagnose because other commoner conditions should be considered first. There is also no evidence that cunnilingus could then help cure his cancer.


He is indeed lucky to be alive two years after treatment with drugs and radiation.


HPV is common – most sexually active adults will have been exposed to at least one of the 100(+) variants of HPV. Oral infection in men is commoner ( possibly 1/10 ) than in women. Most such infection is harmless and clears spontaneously.


Persistent infection with high-risk HPV (especially type 16) MAY cause cancer of the cervix, vulva, vagina, anus, penis, and ( in MD’s case ) oropharynx / throat. HPV infects epithelium and produces new viral particles in mature epithelial cells. It disrupts normal cell-cycle control, promoting uncontrolled cell division and genetic damage.



Of course, HPV is not the only danger of having unprotected oral sex. Sexually transmitted diseases ( like herpes, syphilis, gonorrhea , chlamydia and even HIV ) can also be spread by this means.



Cervical cancer is FAR commoner than mouth cancer, especially in the Philippines. Almost all cases are caused by HPV ( other factors such as smoking increase risk ). Not only can cervical screening pick up early ( pre-cancerous ) changes in cells, but a vaccine is also available – both in UK and Philippines. It may prevent benign warts ( papillomas ) and cancers. This is the “ quadrivalent “ vaccine ( “ Gardasil “ ) produced by Merck, and recommended for vaccinating teenage girls both in UK and Philippines. Another ( “ bivalent “ ) vaccine ( “ Cervarix “ ) produced by GlaxoSmithKline, protects against cancers alone. Both have recently become MUCH cheaper, thanks to pressure on the companies producing them.



There is a case for recommending HPV vaccination for boys as well as girls. It hasn’t ( yet ) been recommended for boys in UK or Philippines – cervical screening and vaccination of girls are the first priorities. However, Gardasil is being made available free to boys in Australia, and is recommended in the USA. This recognises the fact that oral sex is commoner now, especially in teenagers and young adults. Clearly also gay men can’t benefit from vaccination confined to girls.



One result of Michael Douglas’s oral sex cancer claim is publicity for vaccination against HPV ; hopefully also more awareness that unprotected oral sex does have risks of sexually transmitted diseases and cancers. Whether his wife and family are happy with his surprisingly frank interview and claims in “ The Guardian “ newspaper are another matter.

Very interesting Alan, food for thought

[grahamw48]

Like the old joke of the Bishop visiting his Doctor for a check up!

Doctor: Bad news, you have a sexually transmitted disease,

Bishop: What!! I must have caught it off a lavatory seat!

Doctor: Well you must have chewed it as the infections in your mouth

[imagine]

i just cant imagine, protected oral sex visions of a tongue wearing a condom

[Doc Alan]

I heard today about a nurse who liked oral sex and “ recreational “ drugs ( ORAL HIGH JEAN ) .



• Michael Douglas probably expected that blaming oral sex for his cancer might not have had a completely sympathetic response. But, aside from the predictable jokes, he’s raised awareness of oral sex being one risk factor for this uncommon cancer, and one reason for the cancer being twice as common in men as women.



• It’s unrealistic to expect oral sex will always be “ protected “ ( using a condom on a man, or a “ rubber dam “ on a woman ). The only guarantee of not sexually transmitting HPV ( or other infection ) is abstention, even more unrealistic for most people !



• However, sensible behaviour - being careful and monogamous, and remembering that excess alcohol and smoking are other risk factors - can reduce chances of warts or cancer arising from HPV exposure. The HPV vaccine should also give future protection against cancers caused by this virus.



• Even if behaviour HAS been risky over the past few years, most people eliminate HPV before it harms them. It would still be sensible to look for signs / symptoms ( non-healing and / or bleeding ulcer of mouth or lips ; persisting red / white patches in the mouth or throat ; pain or numbness in the mouth ) and attend a doctor or dentist. Early diagnosis is vital, as with so many other conditions.