HPV implicated in one third of throat cancer cases, but vaccines may help

The human papillomavirus, which was known to cause many cases of cervical cancer, is now strongly associated with throat cancers. Luckily, evidence shows that vaccines could prevent the cancers from developing. Michael Douglas may have been onto something when he said his throat cancer was caused by human papillomavirus (HPV) contracted through oral sex. Even though Douglas later retracted his statement, two new studies not only support this claim, but also show that the HPV vaccine could prevent throat cancer. HPV is the most common sexually-transmitted infection (STI). It’s passed on through genital contact, most often during vaginal and anal sex, but can also be transmitted through oral sex as well. While many HPV infections resolve without treatment within two years, a small percentage of infections can cause more severe health problems, including recurrent respiratory papillomatosis (RRP), a condition in which warts grow in the throat, and a head and neck cancer...