Earlier this year, the Guardian reported on a Michael Douglas interview in which the Oscar-winning actor stated that his throat cancer had been the result of a sexually transmitted disease called human papillomavirus (HPV).  According to the New York Daily News, not all strains of HPV are linked to cancer.  HPV16 has been linked with oral cancer, which is not always easily diagnosed.  For Douglas, they found the cancer in Stage IV when he already had a tumor the size of a walnut in his throat.

A new study, published in the journal Cancer Prevention Research, examined the connection between oral health and HPV infection.  Using a population of approximately 3,400 participants between the ages of 30 and 69, the researchers looked at existing data on oral HPV and oral health.  Conducting an analysis of the correlation, they found relationships between the prevalence of oral HPV infection and poorer oral health.  The measures of oral health were: self-rated oral health, possibility of gum disease, use of mouthwash to treat dental problems, and the number of teeth that have already been lost.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there are 2,370 new cases of oropharyngeal cancer associated with HPV in women and 9,356 in men.  This refers solely to cancers of the oropharynx and these numbers do not include cancers throughout the head, neck, and oral cavity.  The CDC also identifies the distribution by race and ethnicity.  Whites, Blacks, and non-Hispanics have the highest rates of HPV-associated oropharyngeal cancers, followed by Hispanics, American Indians and Alaska Natives, and Asians and Pacific Islanders with the lowest rate.

Oropharyngeal cancer, also known as throat cancer, affects the oropharynx, reports the National Cancer Institute.  The oropharynx is the middle part of the throat or pharynx.  Specifically, it is found behind the mouth and it includes the back third of the tongue, the soft palate, the tonsils, and the side and back walls of the throat.  While HPV16 is one source for higher risk of throat cancer, tobacco products and excessive alcohol use have also been known to increase the risk of oropharyngeal cancers.

In an analysis of the new study and HPV-associated cancers, Time Magazine considers how to curb the risks presented by HPV.  Observing the higher rates of HPV infection, there is a clear public health risk with the related medical impacts such as cancer.  However, education and vaccination campaigns have been controversial, making it difficult to prevent HPV infection.