• Health
  • Science
  • U.S.
  • Technology
  • Business
  • World
  • Politics
  • Entertainment
  • Sports

Building a Better World

News and information

  • Home
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact Us
  • Our Team

This common virus dramatically increases cancer risk

January 22, 2016 By Sam Catherman

This common virus dramatically increases cancer risk

A common strain of human human papillomavirus has been shown to significantly increase your chances of getting head, neck, or throat cancer.

The link between human papillomavirus and certain types of cancer has been established for some time, but a recent study reveals that it may go deeper than scientists previously imagined. According to a report from UPI, researchers have found that the detection of an oral strain of HPV can significantly increase the risk of developing head, neck or throat cancer.

Researchers at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine have identified HPV-16, a common oral strain of the virus, as one of the main contributors to the increased risk of cancer. The finding suggests that there may still be links between HPV and cancer that have yet to be discovered.

HPV came under the spotlight when prior research linked it to cervical cancer in women and throat cancer in men. This led to the widespread recommendation for vaccination against the virus, which is typically administered during the teenage years before people are typically exposed.

Indeed, some strains of HPV are spread through sexual contact, but HPV-16 can be passed via oral contact like kissing. The link between this particular strain and different types of cancers stunned researchers, who worry that it may be difficult to quantify and mitigate the risk. Currently, a mouthwash sample is the best tool researchers have for detecting the virus and predicting cancer risk.

Scientists examined data from 96,650 people without cancer. The participants contributed mouthwash samples to the American Cancer Society Cancer Prevention Study II Nutrition Cohort and the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal and Ovarian Cancer Screening Trial. The participants were followed up with for an average of 3.9 years.

The census found 132 people who had developed head or neck cancer during the follow-up timeframe. Those with traces of HPV-16 in their mouthwash samples were found to be 22 times more likely to develop oropharyngeal cancer. The study also suggested that beta- and gamma-HPVs, which typically affect the skin, could also lead to the development of certain cancers.

While further research will need to be done in order to establish a firmer link between HPV and cancer, the recent discovery suggests that the connection may be more serious than ever thought.

A press release from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine describing the details of the study can be found here.

 

Sharing

Facebooktwittergoogle_plusredditpinterestlinkedintumblrmail

Filed Under: Front Page, Health

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Follow Us

Facebookrss

Search:

Recent Posts

  • NASA’s InSight spacecraft makes important course correction May 26, 2018
  • Scientists outraged at latest Trump decision May 15, 2018
  • Huge uproar erupts over major incident at Utah park May 13, 2018
  • Incredible moon discovery stuns scientists May 12, 2018
  • Authorities shocked by discovery about common painkiller May 6, 2018
  • Outrageous crocodile experiment stuns scientists May 5, 2018
  • Great Barrier Reef is too quiet, scientists say May 1, 2018
  • Massive Hiroshima bomb discovery shocks scientists May 1, 2018
  • Earth will be slammed by massive asteroid April 29, 2018
  • Teens are doing something incredibly alarming in schools April 29, 2018
  • Huge discovery in Tasmania stuns scientists April 28, 2018
  • Shocking discovery in New Jersey stuns authorities April 22, 2018
  • Huge volcanic explosion could wipe out the United States April 21, 2018
  • Huge controversy erupts over world’s hottest pepper April 15, 2018
  • SpaceX is about to do something astonishing April 15, 2018

Copyright © 2021 Jones Kilmartin Group, LLC · Metro Pro Theme On Genesis Framework · WordPress