HPV linked to throat cancer?

According to the Chicago Tribune, many researchers blame HPV for the rise in throat cancer. Some researchers even go as far as to say that the HPV throat cancers could overtake HPV cervical cancer in the next decade. According to Dr. Erza Cohen of the University of Chicago Medical Center, "It's (HPV throat cancer) now becoming a dominant sub-type of the disease that we see in our clinic."

Studies show that people who have come of age since the 1950's are more likely to have engaged in oral sex than those that were born earlier. Experts say that oral sex is a known risk factor for HPV related throat cancers and this is why we are seeing an increase of HPV-throat cancers in women and men in their 50's.

The HPV linked cancer appears somewhat less deadly than throat cancers linked to heavy drinking and smoking however it is still a very serious disease. Dr. Marshall Posner of the Harvard Cancer Center in Boston notes: "They may have better prognosis, but these are still very aggressive cancers."

Now it is more important than ever to get tested for HPV, communicate with your partner and wear a condom.

Bad news for Gardasil (for now)

Merck and Company are the makers of Gardasil, the vaccine that protects girls and women ages 9-26 against the human papillomavirus (commonly called HPV). Merck recently submitted the drug again to the FDA, attempting to use the vaccine for women ages 27-45 who had not yet contracted the cervical cancer causing virus, HPV.

According to Bloomberg.com, the FDA has "issues" and "questions" about the use of the HPV vaccine in the "older" age group and Merck plans to respond to those "issues" (Merck declined to indicate what the FDA's issues were) by next month. The FDA's concerns for the 27-45 age group do not affect the Gardasil approved for use by girls and women ages 9-26. Beverly Lybrand, senior vice president at Merck stated: "We will continue to persue this and other supplemental approvals to extend the use of this vaccine to others. "

In a study sponsored by Merck last year, results indicated that Gardasil prevented 91% of cases of precancers and genital lesions in women ages 24-45. With cervical cancer killing over 250,000 women a year (according to the World Health Organization) Merck should move fast to work out the kinks of the vaccine and eliminate FDA concerns for this age group.