A journalist has bravely admitted that oral s*x gave him cancer but added that he probably wouldn’t change a thing.
In a personal account of his journey with the disease, Express journalist Max Channon said that he had been diagnosed with an HPV16-positive oral squamous cell carcinoma of the tonsil.
HPV (human papillomavirus) is the name of a group of known viruses, which in most cases cause no issue to its host.
However, in the case of Hollywood legend Michael Douglas, and more recently Max, it can lead to cancer. And their particular strain came from performing oral s*x.
Actor Michael Douglas
Max said that since Douglas’ public admission to having the disease, and its origins, there has been a continued rapid increase in throat and mouth cancers.
He added that HPV, contracted via oral s*x, is now widely recognised as being the leading risk factor.
As well as being one of the biggest causes of cancers of the v@gina and the @nus. Max said that the widely known cause of nearly all cases of cervical cancer is HPV, but pointed out that nobody talks about its link to throat and mouth cancers.
He said that around 8,600 new cases in men, and 3,900 in women, are diagnosed every year.
“The rate of infection varies by gender and age – but it’s estimated to be as high as 90% for sexually active men and 80% for sexually active women,” he said.
He added that nearly everyone will encounter the microbe, but our immune systems will kick out the symptomless infection within a couple of years.
In Max’s case, however, it took up residence in his left tonsil. He added that smoking for three decades and sipping whisky at parties possibly didn’t help, but said he probably wouldn’t change a thing if he could do it all over.
“I’ve had too much fun to have too many regrets,” he said.
However, he emphasised the importance of people understanding the link between oral s*x and cancer and hoped that the issue was de-stigmatised. Adding that it could hopefully encourage men to get any symptoms checked out quickly.
Max said early intervention is key to a successful recovery from HPV-related mouth and throat cancers which “respond very well to treatment”.
As for Max himself, he says that less than a year on from his diagnosis – shortly before his 50th birthday – he is now cancer-free.
He shared: “Chronic fatigue aside, I’m recovering well from radiochemotherapy and its awful side effects. And, even though cunnilingus gave me cancer – and the brutal treatment that cured me very nearly broke me – I feel very lucky.
“I’m deeply thankful for the care I received from the NHS. Especially given radiotherapy cancer care has been at breaking point due to a lack of investment.”