[Question #8642] Oral cancer

41 months ago

Hello.

As in my previous post, I’ve been to erotic massage places several times several months ago, where I had brief genital skin-to-skin contact with the masseuse.

Since then I’ve been assuming I might have Hpv.

Recently I received oral sex from my partner (once)

* How likely is it that I’ve infected her and caused her cancer?

* How likely is it that I’ve taken it orally by deep kissing after the oral sex (and then cancer from it)?

* does the vaccine do any good if injected two/three days after the infection?

H. Hunter Handsfield, MD

41 months ago

Welcome back. I'm sorry you found it necessary. I have reviewed your previous discussion with Dr. Hook and agree with all he said -- which to some extent helps answer your current questions. But I'm happy to address them directly.

I'll start by echoing a comment by Dr. Hook: that you are WAY over concerned about HPV and the cancer risks associated with it. As he also said, you can reduce both your and your partners' cancer risk from HPV by about 90% by getting vaccinated.

As per Dr. Hook's reassurance, you were at very low risk for HPV from the massage events you have described. Nobody can say the risk is zero, but the odds are strong that you don't have any HPV from those exposures and hence no chance of infecting your partner. Of course you may have HPV from other sexual events. Assuming you're not a virgin, i.e. have had sex perhaps with several partners over the years, you can be sure you already have HPV, unrelated to the massage events. 90% of all people acquire HPV; roughly half acquire HPV by the time they have had 3 sex partners; and at any point in time, around half of all people your age have active genital HPV infections that can be detected by DNA testing. For the same reasons, you probably can safely assume your regular partner has had HPV and could still have an active infection.

The chance your partner acquired an oral HPV infection from one single exposure is zero for all practical purposes. And the chance it's a strain that causes oral cancer (HPV16) is even lower. And even the highest risk types uncommonly progress to cancer.

Those comments partly address your current questions, but to be explicit: "How likely is it that I’ve infected her and caused her cancer?" Extremely unlikely, close to zero risk. "How likely is it that I’ve taken it orally by deep kissing after the oral sex..." Extremely unlikely. "...and then cancer from it?" Even less likely, no more than one chance in many million. "Does the vaccine do any good if injected two/three days after the infection?" No. Significant protection begins about a month after the first of three doses. Protection is quite strong after the second dose (a month after the first) and maximum after 3 doses (6 months later).

Do your best to stop obsessing about HPV. Get vaccinated. Then stop worrying!

HHH, MD

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41 months ago

Doctor I am feeling overwhelmed. Can you tell me how much the chance is for transmission with one oral sex event?
Can you tell me at what stage usually the cancer is diagnosed? How can I diagnose it early if it happens?

41 months ago

Can you tell me the changes of transmission with only one oral sex event?
And also tell me the chance of transmission from those massages in the first place?

41 months ago

You have said that the dentist can detect it before it becomes an issue. Can you explain a little about that?
I have read that the cancer responds well to treatment. But at what stage is it usually detected? What are the side effects of the treatment?

H. Hunter Handsfield, MD

41 months ago

You continue to overreact: "overwhelmed" is the opposite of what your feelings should be. And these questions have already been answered! Have you carefully read my replies? Is there a problem understanding them? (Maybe English isn't your first language?)

"chance is for transmission with one oral sex event?" Zero, or very close to it. No higher than one chance in thousands, maybe millions.

"stage usually the cancer is diagnosed?" First, if cancer occurs, typically it's many years later (average age 50-60). It's usually diagnosed early and often easily cured.

"chance of transmission from those massages in the first place?" For the third or fourth time, ZERO!

Please do take the time to carefully re-read all the replies above, and also the ones in your previous thread with Dr. Hook. I also believe you would benefit from professional counseling to understand why you are so obsessed and fearful about all this, especially after the reasoned, science based reassurance you have had. Your thinking on this truly is not normal and suggests an underlying mental health issue. Please take this advice seriously.

Finally, this being your second question on these topics, it must be your last. Repeated anxiety driven questions with predictable answers are not permitted and future ones will be deleted without reply and without refund of the posting fee. ASHA is not keen on getting paid for information whose answers already have been given; repeated answers often prolong anxiety rather than helping relieve it; and such questions have limited educational value for other readers, one of the forum's main goals. Thank you for your understanding.

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