You describe a sexual lifestyle that suggests very low STI risk in general. You seem to have over-estimated the risks of oral HPV and resulting cancers. Your chance of someday having oral cancer due to HPV probably is under one chance in millions. First, oral HPV isn't rare, but it's far less common than genital infection, even among people who regularly perform oral sex on their partners. Also, you might not be aware that only a single HPV type (HPV 16) is the only one linked to cancer, and only one kind of cancer at that -- squamous cell cancer of the pharynx. All the other 100+ HPV types rarely cause such cancers, if ever. And even if you had acquired an oral HPV 16 infection, probably there's under one chance in thousands you'll have cancer as a result. And with so few oral sex partners, this is even less likely. (I don't really consider any of your sexual experiences to have been a "big mistake" at all!) Your two "older male" partners are no more likely a source of oral HPV infection than your few female oral sex partners.

Based on the abstract you cite, the point of the study seems to be that the risk of pharyngeal squamous cell cancer from oral sex may be lower than estimated in previous studies, such as the one cited in the abstract (D'Souza et al). The association of frequent oral sex with pharyngeal cancer due to HPV 16 probably is real, but still very low risk with the number of partners you report.

I really don't think you have anything to worry about. Your risk of oral or throat cancer from HPV is a lot lower than average.

I hope these comments are helpful. Let me know if anything isn't clear.

HHH, MD

Thank you really much, Dr Hunter Handsfield.

Your reply is reassuring, after I have been dwelling in anxiety for quite few days.

I became concerned about those two "older male" isolated encounters since they were from a dating app and as such I believe they were having a more "promiscuous" lifestyle, compared to the other women partern I have been with.

Therefore, I thought they were more likely to transmit HPV from their genitals to my mouth, especially given that those oral sex acts were not protected in any way and lasted for ~10-15 minutes.

Please feel free to add anything you might think it's useful.

Thanks again for your outstanding service.

Thanks for the thanks -- I'm glad to have helped. Each question has opportunity for two follow-up comments and replies; let me know if anything else is on your mind.

Thanks again for the detailed and reassuring responses.

That concludes this thread. I hope the discussion has been helpful. Best wishes and stay safe.---
---