1. Yes, oral sex can cause oropharyngeal cancer. It's linked to HPV.
2. Yes, go ahead and get the HPV vaccine.
Oropharyngeal cancers (cancers of the back of the throat, including the base of the tongue and tonsils): About 60% are linked to HPV. [Note: Many of these cancers may be related to tobacco and alcohol use]
Gardasil is also currently approved for use in men ages 22-26 – a "permissive" recommendation that differs from females of the same age group. Permissive use means that the vaccine is recommended, but not considered to be of sufficient priority to include on routine vaccination schedules. Vaccines recommended on a permissive basis are less likely to be covered by health insurance. A decision about vaccination for men of this age group should be determined by a conversation with the man and his doctor.
An important exception are gay and bisexual men (or any man who has sex with other men) and men with compromised immune systems (including HIV infection), who are all recommended to receive the vaccine through age 26.
What can I do to reduce my cancer risk?
The four most effective methods you can do to reduce your risks are:
- quit smoking if you smoke
- moderate your consumption of alcohol
- eat a healthy balanced diet
- take regular exercise
And while wearing a condom may only provide limited protection against HPV it does offer more effective protection against other nasty STIs (as well as being a good method of contraception to prevent unplanned pregnancies).
It's also important that you have regular dental check-ups because dentists can often spot the early stages of mouth cancer.
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