Study: Oral cancers on rise due to HPV
By Ryan Buffa | gargoyle@flagler.edu
Many Flagler College students are reconsidering human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines due to the growing number of head and neck cancers in the United States caused by the HPV virus.
According to a new study in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, the number of cases of oropharyngeal cancer, which are cancers of the tonsils, throat and base of the tongue, have been rising since the mid-1980s.
“I got all three shots because I was influenced by my doctor and my mom because it seemed like a good way to protect myself,” said student Courtney Fusilier. “I think people should get it if they don’t want to die from those types of cancer.”
The causes of oral cancers function within two categories: cancer caused by tobacco and alcohol and cancer caused by the sexually transmitted virus, HPV, researchers said.