14 DAY TRIAL // This sexually transmitted virus is more dangerous than all others: it can spread through anal and oral sex, and cause cancer in all it touches, from cervical (uterus) cancer in women to anal and oral cancer in both men and women. The human papillomavirus (HPV) causes now as many cancers of the upper throat as tobacco and alcohol, being correlated to a boost in oral sex practice and the decreasing number of smokers.
There are anti-HPV vaccines on the market, developed by Merck & Co. Inc., but by now they target only girls and young women. Now, it appears that male vaccinations are required for impeding men spreading the virus.
HPV is the leading cause of cervical cancer, which affects around 12,000 women annually in U.S. alone. Mild strains of the virus cause genital warts, but other strains can cause from penile to anal and throat cancer; yet male cases are not given as much attention as in the case of cervical cancer.
A previous study made by a team at Johns Hopkins University determined that HPV is the main cause of annual 5,600 new cases of tonsils, lower tongue and upper throat cancers in US. A new research made by the same team on 30-year data on oral cancers, gathered at the National Cancer Institute, determined the rate of HPV-caused cases analyzing 46,000 registered cases. The incidence levels for HPV-related oral cancers increased steadily in men from 1973 to 2004, matching those caused by tobacco and alcohol.
"The good news is that survival rates for the cancer are also increasing. That's because tumors caused by HPV respond better to chemotherapy and radiation. If current trends continue, within the next 10 years there may be more oral cancers in the United States caused by HPV than tobacco or alcohol," said co-author Dr. Maura Gillison of Johns Hopkins University.
Some studies point that not only oral sex can be responsible for these cases; the virus seems to be transmitted to the mouth even by unwashed hands. The study also revealed that HPV-related upper throat cancers dropped in women from 1973 to 2004.
Merck's vaccine is effective against four types of HPV, one of them connected to oral cancer.
"Merck has been testing the vaccine in an international study, but it is focused on anal and penile cancer and genital warts, not oral cancers. We are continuing to consider additional areas of study that focus on both female and male HPV diseases and cancers," said Kelley Dougherty, a Merck spokeswoman.
Merck may come with a vaccine targeting men in 2009.