1. From the article you link to:

Most HPV infections clear with little or no symptoms but a small percentage of people who acquired high-risk strains may develop a cancer, the researchers added.

"People should be REASSURED that oropharyngeal cancer is relatively uncommon and the overwhelming majority of people with an oral HPV infection probably will not get throat cancer."

"As this was a small study, further research is needed to confirm these observations."

"We know that after age, the main causes of mouth cancer are smoking or chewing tobacco or betel nut, and drinking too much alcohol."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/6639461.stm?ls

I think we need to be careful how we are selective when we read things on the internet.

Posted at 11:33AM on May 19th 2007 by hchcec

2. While the above post is 100% right, let's just be very clear.

It is very unlikely that one would get cancer from oral sex, even with the inclusion of the HPV virus.

This should not mean that men should not be just as concerned as women about HPV infection. Men should be just as responsible, to avoid transferring the virus among partners.

Posted at 6:58AM on May 21st 2007 by Brit

3. This site is providing information and a point of view. They are not making a decision for anyone. The patient's physician still holds all the cards in steering the patient in the direction he/she wishes. People who go on blogs want to have any and all information and opinions available to them in order to make choices and ask questions of their doctors, and they have their own responsibility to be capable of dealing with the information they receive, without information from fraternal organizations that are largely contolled by people with their own biases and self-interest.

Posted at 12:32PM on May 19th 2007 by Gregory D. Pawelski

4. The original post, Mr. Pawelski, had a link to a blog. THAT blog linked to the article from the BBC.

The blog posting here, but NOT at THAT's FIT blog, makes no mention of this:

"you SHOULD KNOW that most HPV infections are relatively innocuous -- clearing with little or no symptoms. In fact, researchers stress that "oropharyngeal cancer is relatively uncommon and the overwhelming majority of people with an oral HPV infection probably will not get throat cancer."

An analogy?

The annual risk of being killed in a plane crash for the average American is about 1 in 11 million.

The annual risk of being killed in a motor vehicle crash for the average American is about 1 in 5,000.

From the posting above, I would never want to have oral sex again like I would never get in a car again. The other blog, however, informs the reader that the OVERWHELMING majority will not get cancer, just like the overwhelming majority will not be killed in a motor vehicle accident.

We need perspective and we need to tell the whole story. My guess is, you want the reader to try to decipher what's true from what's false and the blog owner has no responsibility to present all of the details.

Posted at 2:20PM on May 19th 2007 by hchcec

5. Thanks. Just what we need, more fear-mongering. As the commenter above indicated, be careful of attaching too much weight to statistics. Otherwise, you may find yourself stuck in a very small room, afraid to go outside, eat anything, or even turn on the (evil) fluorescent light.

Oh, by the way, I've heard broccoli causes cancer too...

Posted at 3:56PM on May 20th 2007 by Lorien

6. Actually, it's been said that broccoli has strong anti-cancer properties that will help us be protected from various cancer. I think you got that the wrong way around.

Posted at 5:50PM on May 20th 2007 by Gregory D. Pawelski