Michael Douglas revealed his throat cancer was caused by oral sex. He contracted HPV.
If you recall adolescent girls up to women in their mmid 20s can take a vaccine to prevent HPV a leading cause of cervical cancer. Boys and men are not given this vaccine, but can get a the cancer too. I went through the vaccine series several years ago.
blogger / pineapple / 12381 posts
Hpv vaccine is now also given to boys:
http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd-vac/hpv/vac-faqs.htm
pomelo / 5178 posts
@Mrs. Jacks: I was just coming to post that. 
We plan on vaccinating both our son and daughter, when they get old enough.
blogger / pineapple / 12381 posts
@Honeybee: absolutely! A vaccine that prevents cancer! Truly a marvel of modern science!
wonderful pea / 17279 posts
@Mrs. Jacks: oh wow. I didnt know that. That's fantastic.
I remember the uproar when the vaccine came out for girls suggesting it would promote adolescent sex. Nope the vaccine saves lives!
coconut / 8234 posts
I'm glad Michael Douglas was honest about his cancer. I was a bit surprised by many of the comments on various articles. It's amazing how many people don't know about HPV and cancer in men.
ETA: Maybe because the main focus is on women & cervical cancer? I don't know.
blogger / pineapple / 12381 posts
@Mrs. Lemon-Lime: Yeah, an 11 or 12 year old doesn't know that HPV is connected with sexual activities. They just know they are getting another shot. The only people who can make it about sex and make it a big deal are the parents (and the media of course...)!
grapefruit / 4862 posts
From what I saw, I don't think he said that THAT is what caused his cancer (nor would they be able to prove that it did, since he also drank/smoked) but revealed that HPV and oral sex CAN cause that type of cancer. Either way I am glad he is talking frankly about HPV being able to cause cancer in men and not just women.
wonderful pea / 17279 posts
@kjpugs: http://m.today.com/entertainment/michael-douglas-says-oral-sex-caused-his-throat-cancer-6C10167042
This was the first article I read, which linked to the one I posted on thread. He said the type of cancer he had is related to HPV.
pomelo / 5257 posts
@kjpugs: He did actually say it came from HPV: "Asked whether he now regretted his years of smoking and drinking, thought to be the cause of the disease, Douglas replied: 'No. Because without wanting to get too specific, this particular cancer is caused by HPV [human papillomavirus], which actually comes about from cunnilingus.'" I think even though he drank and smoked, doctors can determine if the cancer came from HPV, or at least it sounds like it from the below article! I totally agree that it's good he's publicizing this because I think a lot of people might not even think to vaccinate their sons against HPV. http://www.salon.com/2013/06/02/michael_douglas_hpv_caused_my_throat_cancer/singleton/
coconut / 8234 posts
@kjpugs: This is from The Guardian http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2013/jun/02/michael-douglas-oral-sex-cancer
"Asked whether he now regretted his years of smoking and drinking, usually thought to be the cause of the disease, Douglas replied: 'No. Because without wanting to get too specific, this particular cancer is caused by HPV [human papillomavirus], which actually comes about from cunnilingus.'"
grapefruit / 4862 posts
Whoa nelly everyone wanting to link me wrong Just going off of the Today Show's coverage. That's how they spun it. Either way good for him.
coconut / 8234 posts
@kjpugs: Sowwy!
@MrsSCB: I read that doctors separate the throat cancer into either the HPV related type or the alcohol/tobacco related type.
Do they have a vaccine for old people like myself? And by old I mean older than 26, haha.
pomelo / 5257 posts
@mrsjazz: It's pretty crazy that in the study they talk about in the article I linked, they found that 57 percent of the oral cancer patients they looked at were HPV positive. It really shows the potential of the vaccine to help people! Do you know if there's a reason for the age cutoff, though?
grapefruit / 4235 posts
I don't know about you guys, but my dentist checks my mouth at every cleaning for lesions that could be cancerous. This is why.
coconut / 8234 posts
@MrsSCB: I just looked it up on the CDC's website:
Why aren’t HPV vaccines recommended for people older than 26?
Both vaccines were studied in thousands of people from 9 through 26 years old and found to be safe and effective for these ages. The vaccine is not licensed in the United States for persons over age 26 years, as GARDASIL has not been demonstrated to prevent HPV-related outcomes in a general population of women and men older than 26 years of age.
blogger / pineapple / 12381 posts
@mrsjazz: There is an epidemiological assumption that you have been exposed to the virus by age 26. Also the immune response to the vaccine is supposed to be less in older ages. So I was in my 30s when the vaccine came out (and engaged) and they said they wouldn't give it to me 
pomelo / 5257 posts
@mrsjazz: Interesting, I wonder if part of it is that by 26 they figure people are mostly already sexually active so it loses efficacy due to that as well?
grapefruit / 4862 posts
@mrbee: well, what he was allegedly doing that got him the cancer... It's saying he needs to shut up so guys don't have any reason to stop doing that!
grapefruit / 4136 posts
@kjpugs: hahahahahahaha
@mrbee: I think because it gives men an excuse to NOT go to ladyville 
pear / 1697 posts
@MRSJAZZ -- Most healthcare providers are willing to offer the vaccine to anyone who wants it (regardless of age). However, insurance will only pay if you're in the approved age range.
And while the vaccine will probably provide *some* benefit, chances are that once you're sexually active you're very rapidly exposed to at least one of the strains that the vaccine protects against. It is unlikely that you've already been exposed to all four, but, you certainly may get less benefit from it than a child would.
pear / 1743 posts
I just want to second what @Mrs. Jacks: said. I was part of the initial clinical trial and the assumption is that you would most likely have had exposure to HPV by age 26. I had the vaccine and will definitely have any daughters also have the vaccine - currently it is only available to females in NZ.
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