Doctor claims oral sex bigger risk for throat cancer than smoking

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A Russian doctor who offers health tips on social media is claiming oral sex poses a greater threat of causing throat cancer than smoking or drinking alcohol.

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Dr. Daria Sadovskaya, a 29-year-old nephrologist – a specialist who diagnoses and treats kidney conditions – made the claim in a TikTok video posted in September when asked if oral sex is the proven number one cause of throat cancer, known as oropharyngeal cancer.

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“Don’t get scared by it, be aware and know how to protect your health and wellness,” she wrote while mouthing,”I said what I said” to a remix of Beyonce’s hit Crazy In Love.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says the human papillomavirus (HPV) can be transmitted during oral sex, and men are more likely to develop cancer from the disease as women are more likely to carry the virus.

In the U.S., about 10% of men and 3.6% of women have oral HPV, and the virus is more common among older adults.

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According to the CDC, “HPV is thought to cause 70% of oropharyngeal cancers in the United States.”

But according to the American Cancer Society, tobacco use is cited as the top risk factor for the illness.

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The American Cancer Society, added however, that diagnosis rates from cancer linked to HPV in men has increased 2.8% from 2015-19. Among women, rates have been rising by 1.3%.

A decade ago, actor Michael Douglas famously made the claim that oral sex caused his throat cancer, but later revealed it was actually tongue cancer.

It takes about two years for the HPV infection to go away, but if it persists, it could possibly cause cancer.

“It is unclear if having HPV alone is enough to cause oropharyngeal cancers, or if other factors (such as smoking or chewing tobacco) interact with HPV to cause these cancers,” the CDC says. “HPV is not known to cause other head and neck cancers, including those in the mouth, larynx, lip, nose, or salivary glands.”

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