Americans are sick more often, because the cancer from oral sex

During the last decade in the United States, the number of oral cancer have increased associated with HPV infection. Researchers from the Johns Hopkins University associate this trend with the fashion for oral sex. It is known that malignant tumors of the oral cavity, the pharynx and the tongue can be caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV). HPV is the leading cause of both is much more common cancer - cancer of the cervix. In both cases, HPV infections are transmitted sexually - in contact with the genitals of an infected person. The researchers used data from several epidemiological studies that have engulfed the 45,700 cases of cancer of the mouth, registered in the U.S. from 1973 to 2004. The tumors were divided into potentially associated with viral infection (17,600 cases), and other factors (28 100). The dynamics of the increase in the number of tumors, the researchers concluded that the number of illnesses associated with papilloma viruses has steadily increased and the average age of the patients was reduced. For the entire period of the annual number of detected malignant tumors of this type fall by almost 25% increase - an average of 0.8% per year. According to the authors, this trend is set to direct the consequences of the sexual revolution together: oral sex is no longer taboo and increased number of sexual partners the average American. This hypothesis is confirmed by the opposite situation associated with cancer of the mouth, not with HPV infection. From 1973 to 1982, their number has remained stable, and in the following years, they began to sink. Apparently, to the scientists, this is due to the reduction of alcohol consumption and reduce the number of smokers - alcoholism and smoking are risk factors for cancer of the oral cavity is known.