Michael Douglas says oral sex caused his throat cancer

[Bennyboy]

In a surprisingly frank interview with the Guardian newspaper, actor Michael Douglas says that the throat cancer he was diagnosed with three years ago was caused by oral sex.

When asked by the Guardian if he regretted the years of smoking and drinking thought to be associated with his illness, the actor replied, "No. Because without wanting to get too specific, this particular cancer is caused by HPV [human papillomavirus], which actually comes about from cunnilingus."

Douglas, 68, went on to say in Sunday's story that he "did worry if the stress caused by my son's incarceration didn't help trigger it. But yeah, it's a sexually transmitted disease that causes cancer. And if you have it, cunnilingus is also the best cure for it." Douglas has been married to actress Catherine Zeta-Jones since 2000.

READ MORE: http://www.today.com/entertainment/michael-douglas-says-oral-sex-caused-his-throat-cancer-6C10167042

[Sheldon Cooper]

1. What the actual fuck?

[kestrel91316]

4. Indeed. HPV causes oral and genital and anal cancers.

Just ask Farrah Fawcett.

[flamingdem]

7. So that was caused by HPV?

If people realized this they would use more caution. There doesn't seem to be a way to avoid HPV currently without the shot -- only for women up to age 26

[xchrom]

10. the vaccine isn't limited to women. HPV Vaccine Showing Successes in Australia

in - australia - for example - it's given to both genders.

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/04/18/hpv-vaccine-showing-successes-in-australia/

The American government’s goal of vaccinating young girls against the human papillomavirus has been disappointing, with less than a third of teenagers having completed a full course of HPV vaccine. But now the United States can look to Australia, which six years into a successful nationwide HPV vaccination campaign has experienced a sharp decline in the number of new cases of genital warts among young men and women.

The country, one of the first to establish a nationally financed HPV vaccination program for girls and young women, has also seen a decrease in the number of cases of cervical abnormalities, a precursor to cervical cancer.

Australia’s program, which started in 2007, offers free HPV vaccination to girls who are 12 and 13 years old, and catch-up programs for girls and women under 26. The vaccine protects against genital warts as well as cancers of the cervix, head and neck.

The vaccine is typically administered in three doses, beginning around age 12. In 2010, coverage rates for girls that age in Australia’s school-based programs reached 83 percent for the first dose, 80 percent for the second dose and 73 percent for the third.

HPV vaccine

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HPV_vaccine

HPV vaccination is approved for use in males in many areas. In addition to protecting their partners from cervical cancer, vaccination can protect males against anal cancer, and may prevent other HPV associated cancers. Gardasil can also protect males against genital warts. HPV vaccination has been recommended for males in the United States, where vaccine uptake among women has been low. Vaccination is also recommended in populations at higher risk for HPV associated cancers, such as men who have sex with men and those with compromised immune response.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HPV_vaccine

immunize australia

http://www.health.gov.au/internet/immunise/publishing.nsf/Content/immunise-hpv


HPV Vaccination program:

The national school-based HPV Vaccination Program, provided through the National Immunisation Program, has been extended to include males. From February 2013, males and females aged 12-13 years will receive the HPV vaccine at school. Males aged 14-15 years will also receive the vaccine as part of a catch-up program until the end of the 2014 school year.

[kestrel91316]

22. I happen to think that ALL women and ALL men should be vaccinated for HPV.

Start with kids before puberty.

If they offered it for my age group I'd be all over it.

[KittyWampus]

40. Young women's own bodies spontaneously rid themselves of HPV. This is an established medical fact.

They do not need the HPV vaccine.

Now women over the age of 18? Different story.


http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC145302/

http://www.rho.org/about-cervical-cancer.htm

About 630 million people worldwide are believed to be infected with HPV.6,9 In the United States, about 40% of young women become infected with HPV within three years of sexual debut, and globally, 50% to 80% of sexually active women are infected by HPV at least once in their lives.10,11 Fortunately, in most cases, these infections clear through natural immune responses. The vast majority of HPV infections are transient, becoming undetectable with molecular assays after a period of 4 to 18 months.12-14

http://www.ucsf.edu/news/2002/05/4737/low-grade-dysplasia-found-pap-smears-likely-regress-spontaneously

Teen-aged and young adult women who develop low-grade, benign lesions in the cervix due to human papilloma virus (HPV) have a 95 percent or better chance that the lesions will clear up on their own and not progress to a more advanced stage, a UCSF study shows

[Viva_La_Revolution]

49. Mine did not.

I had my first abnormal pap at 17, and cervical cancer at 37. I'm fine now, but every woman should consider the vaccine, and keep regular appts with the doc. imho.

[RiffRandell]

50. Exactly.

I'm glad you're ok.

[KittyWampus]

65. you are in an very, very small minority. And I am also glad you are okay.

[liberal_at_heart]

92. I'm having an wart outbreak right now on both my finger and private parts.

I've been monogomous and my husband doesn't have it so I can't help but wonder if I may have been carrying this virus around with me for years and not known it. I'm going to call the doctor tomorrow to get an exam and a PAP test. I'm scared. I am BRCA1+ that makes me genetically suseptible for breast and ovarian cancer.

[flamingdem]

99. Best of luck with your doctor visit

I hope you get good news! I think that HPV doesn't have to do with ovarian cancer, I hope not, I think cervical cancer is the issue, I could be wrong.

[SkyDaddy7]

43. I could not agree more...

However, the anti-vaccination crowd will not be pleased with our views.

[Honeycombe8]

112. I don't think it works past a certain age. nt

[SharonAnn]

53. And it causes Penile cancer (cancer of the penis). Think about it.

My friend's son, 42 yrs. old is currently being treated for penile cancer. The biopsy showed it was the type related to HPV.

[Yo_Mama]

12. It's true

HPV is causing more oral and head cancers these days.

It's sexually transmitted, and then oral contact with the genital region spreads it. But if you have it in your mouth, you can spread it to someone else's genitals, or oral tract, or anus.

http://www.cleveland.com/healthfit/index.ssf/2013/04/hpv_can_cause_head_and_neck_ca.html

These mouth and throat cancers have historically been known to be caused by tobacco use, but recent studies have shown that HPV may now be responsible for 70 to 80 percent of these malignancies. While the decreased use of tobacco, and therefore the decreased incidence of tobacco-associated cancers, has been observed over the last few decades, the rate of head and neck cancer has actually continued to rise.

[hedgehog]

52. My cousin died at the age of 55 after treatment for cancer of the throat.

My four daughters received the Guardisal. My two sons did not, because it wasn't offered to males when it first came out. My mother was over 75 years old at the time, and she brought up the subject because she knew about the HPV connection to throat cancer.

Even if your children are as pure as the driven snow, who is to say that their partner never had previous partners? I applaud Michael Douglas for bringing this to people's attention.

[Warpy]

2. He might be right about that, HPV can do that

but I think the cigs and booze probably had a lot to do with it, too.

[kestrel91316]

5. Farrah Fawcett got anal cancer from HPV. It DOES do that.

The cigs and alcohol are known for elevating risk of just about any cancer. But the risk was already there.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

13. IIRC, they can analyze the cancer and determine the source. Yes?

I seem to remember reading that tidbit.

[kestrel91316]

23. Not as far as I know. They do that with rabies, to determine which species strain it is

(skunk, raccoon, bat, fox, coyote, etc).

[Hassin Bin Sober]

26. It looks like they can.

I did a little reading after I posted. They biopsy the tumor and look for the HPV.

As someone else said down thread, this is one cancer you don't have to guess about the source.

[LadyHawkAZ]

6. +1

[demosincebirth]

87. Right, more so than anything else.

[xchrom]

3. Du rec. Nt

[MNBrewer]

8. M. Bachmann said the vaccine causes mental retardation

she should know?

[superpatriotman]

9. Happened to a close friend

Never smoked, drank, etc. but had many lovers. Oncologist suggested HPV-related.

He's cancer-free now after many grueling months of targeted radiation, diet, and positivity.

[PCIntern]

11. Yes...

I believe this to be true. We are seeing a big uptick in the incidence of these. I have made the initial referral in over fifteen cases during the past 5 years or so. I have a very susceptible demographic in my practice and dentists are often called upon by patients since the chief complaint is often difficulty swallowing and many people think that they're not chewing their food correctly for one reason or another.

Many of my patients diagnosed have died following horrendous surgery/chemo. Awful.

[flamingdem]

16. Who is most at risk?

I thought that was one of the easier cancers to deal with

[PCIntern]

17. "It's not really sex" generation....

And everyone else...most of mine were in their 50's...

[Hassin Bin Sober]

21. My dentist checks.

I noticed a new bit of probing a few years ago when I switched to my current dentist and asked what the doctor was up to.

Checking for oral cancer he tells me.

Fast forward a couple check-up trips and I get the "Hmmmm, I don't want to alarm you" talk. Off to the surgeon he sends me. By the time I went to the surgeon, whatever was there was gone.

False alarm. But I don't mind. I would rather err on the side of caution.

[Rex]

100. 'err on the side of caution'

Absolutely, I had a friend that ignored her doctor and died from cancer a few years later.

[Monk06]

14. HPV lets you blame the pussy for everything again. Yippee VAGINA DENTATA REDUX. Douglas is a

creep just like his dad. Zeta-Jones deserves better after hanging with him all these years.

Dude. You smoke and you drank hard liquor for years. You did it to yourself. Poisoned pussy is just your excuse for not taking responsibility for your life.

[PCIntern]

15. Or someone's dick...

It depends.

This is no BS. People need to be careful....it is a horrible way to suffer and die.

[Monk06]

24. My wife's dad died of throat cancer. He drank a quart of scotch his whole life. Ad cigarettes and

that is the most likely explanation. This whole HPV thing has become a bandwagon issue. Even if HPV contributed to his cancer, which I doubt, show some fucking dignity and respect for your wife.

The guy is an asshole. Why he gets press is beyond me. Remember Fatal Attraction? Back then he was claiming he was a sex addict, which was the fashionable dysfunction of the eighties. He's a narcissist just like his dad.

[PCIntern]

36. EtOH and tobacco are promoters....

You need to do some research and reading...some of us are speaking from competence.

[MattBaggins]

79. You are way off base.

He did not blame his wife. That was the writer editorializing.

If his doctors identified it as an HPV related cancer, then I will go with that and not what you do or do not doubt.

[Tuesday Afternoon]

18. *

At Sun Jun 2, 2013, 03:22 PM an alert was sent on the following post:

HPV lets you blame the pussy for everything again. Yippee VAGINA DENTATA REDUX. Douglas is a
http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=2936671

REASON FOR ALERT:

This post is disruptive, hurtful, rude, insensitive, over-the-top, or otherwise inappropriate. (See <a href="http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=aboutus#communitystandards" target="_blank">Community Standards</a>.)

ALERTER'S COMMENTS:

really, can't make your point without using pussy twice? this word is not acceptable on du.

You served on a randomly-selected Jury of DU members which reviewed this post. The review was completed at Sun Jun 2, 2013, 03:26 PM, and the Jury voted 3-3 to LEAVE IT.

Juror #1 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE and said: No explanation given
Juror #2 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE and said: What are you, some kind of pussy?
Juror #3 voted to HIDE IT and said: Grow up Monk06
Juror #4 voted to HIDE IT and said: While I agree with the sentiment language is waaay OOT hide
Juror #5 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE and said: rude, crude. but, the thread is about the sex life of a celebrity. meh. if it was toward another DUer, I would hide it.
Leaving this time with a suggestion that Monk06 might want to rethink his terminology.
Juror #6 voted to HIDE IT and said: No explanation given

[Monk06]

25. The point of using the word pussy twice is to show my contempt for Douglas. The irony was lost

on you obviously. And that's my last comment for this thread. You can accept my explanation or not. Fine by me.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

29. Take a pill.

That other poster posted their jury results. Obviously they aren't the alerter.

[Tuesday Afternoon]

30. silly. I did not Alert. I was on the jury. sheesh. whatever. Peace.

[Monk06]

37. Sorry I should have checked more closely. No offence.

[whathehell]

44. How would using the word "pussy" show contempt for a man?...Doesn't make a lot of sense.

[MattBaggins]

80. Your contempt for Douglas is irrelevant

in a thread that ought to be about HPV and medicine.

[Ms. Toad]

88. Reducing women to a body part

shows contempt for women, not for Michael Douglas.

[LanternWaste]

116. Your point may have been lost, but your character is now well illustrated.

Your point may have been lost, but your character is now well illustrated.

[hrmjustin]

19. A biopsy can determine if it is HPV. If he was cheating than I see your anger but if he didn't it is

not really his fault.

[Yo_Mama]

20. It's very real and incidence is rising in developed countries

Especially for men, and they don't know why that is. Also they seem to be occurring at younger ages.

Here's a Lancet survey about it:
http://www.thelancetconferences.com/hpv-and-cancer/presentations/chaturvedi_presentation.pdf

This is one case in which you don't have to speculate - the tumor is biopsied and analyzed for HPV.

[Auggie]

33. How do you really know what caused it? And I applaud Douglas for his candor.

[question everything]

114. What is "nice" about a biological agent - bacteria and viruses

and parasites and worms - is that you take a sample of the tumor and check it for presence of the actual agent or for telltale footprints like DNA and antibodies being made against it.

This, as opposed to the usual culprits raised here - drinking and smoking - that we know can be the cause but are not certain of specific examples.

If he says that HPV caused it, this means that the virus or its DNA was found in his tumor. And if HPV is not known to be associated with the mouth and throat - I don't know - then it makes sense that oral sex brought it.

[WinkyDink]

27. He could have simply stayed with the term "oral sex." But then he must be worried that he'd be

thought gay, what with Liberace and all.

[tavalon]

32. HPV doesn't discriminate by type of oral sex

If your partner has one that is one of the deadly ones (there are over 100 and I think, if I remember correctly, they've only found six to be cancer causing), they can give it to you in a myriad of ways.

[WinkyDink]

42. Supports my point.

[closeupready]

35. Yep. Grossness. I didn't need to

hear about this, but whatever. I like Michael Douglas, so he gets a pass from me.

[opiate69]

46. Or, maybe he figured..

That if he didn't specify, a lot of young straight men (and maybe young lesbians) might not realize they too are at risk..

[Socal31]

110. Yes, I am sure that was his worry.

"Oral sex" is vague. I have no problem with him specifying which kind. He didn't single anyone out, that is the media playing that game.

[tavalon]

28. Well, the news is finally getting out

HPV is the number three reason both sexes can get throat cancer. I stopped having unprotected oral sex years ago, not as many years ago as I stopped having unprotected PV, but at least 4 years ago.

[Baitball Blogger]

31. So HPV was to blame for the spike in throat cancer in men?

That explains why the HPV vaccine was pushed on young girls and women. If I recall, they tried to make it compulsory.

Not that I think it was a bad idea, just that it goes to show you how swift our health response is when it affects men.

[KittyWampus]

39. simply posting this to emphasize and draw attention to your post. The fact about HPV is young women

do not need it. The overwhelming, vast majority of young women's bodies will spontaneously rid themselves of the HPV with no intervention. Just their own biology. I attributed the push for this vaccine on these young women (who do not need it) to money.

Your post just made a lot more sense of that situation.

[hedgehog]

51. I think you may be mistaken about young women clearing HPV virus.

What would the mechanism be?

Even if it were true, why would anyone want to play the odds that their body would be part of the "vast majority" and not part of the minority.

[KittyWampus]

64. It's not odds. It's the overwhelming majority of young women. I'll repost this once more:

http://www.rho.org/about-cervical-cancer.htm

About 630 million people worldwide are believed to be infected with HPV.6,9 In the United States, about 40% of young women become infected with HPV within three years of sexual debut, and globally, 50% to 80% of sexually active women are infected by HPV at least once in their lives.10,11 Fortunately, in most cases, these infections clear through natural immune responses. The vast majority of HPV infections are transient, becoming undetectable with molecular assays after a period of 4 to 18 months.12-14

http://www.ucsf.edu/news/2002/05/4737/low-grade-dysplasia-found-pap-smears-likely-regress-spontaneously

Teen-aged and young adult women who develop low-grade, benign lesions in the cervix due to human papilloma virus (HPV) have a 95 percent or better chance that the lesions will clear up on their own and not progress to a more advanced stage, a UCSF study shows

[dsc]

83. 5% of 630 million is still a lot of women

31,500,000 to be exact. That is a whole lot of women suffering the effects of a more advanced stage.

[NoodleyAppendage]

63. I only wish you were correct. The 4cm tumor in my tonsil that was removed 2 yrs ago says you're not

We actually have a way to PREVENT a large number of cervical and oral cancers, and your response is to think that it is some conspiracy to push a vaccine. Some medicine actually works, you know...

[KittyWampus]

66. I posted to links to established medical facts about young women and HPV. I'll post them here again

http://www.rho.org/about-cervical-cancer.htm

About 630 million people worldwide are believed to be infected with HPV.6,9 In the United States, about 40% of young women become infected with HPV within three years of sexual debut, and globally, 50% to 80% of sexually active women are infected by HPV at least once in their lives.10,11 Fortunately, in most cases, these infections clear through natural immune responses. The vast majority of HPV infections are transient, becoming undetectable with molecular assays after a period of 4 to 18 months.12-14

http://www.ucsf.edu/news/2002/05/4737/low-grade-dysplasia-found-pap-smears-likely-regress-spontaneously

Teen-aged and young adult women who develop low-grade, benign lesions in the cervix due to human papilloma virus (HPV) have a 95 percent or better chance that the lesions will clear up on their own and not progress to a more advanced stage, a UCSF study shows

[NoodleyAppendage]

67. All of the information you provided is specific to HPV cervical cancer, not HPV-associated oral n/t

J

[MattBaggins]

85. Your conclusions on the need for HPV vaccines in young women

is not supported by those links.

[RiffRandell]

86. That last link is over 10 years old.

Not currently accurate imo.

[bettyellen]

105. this WOO is embarrassing- hope no one buys this crap.

[Ms. Toad]

90. Neither of the links you posted

are granular enough to provide relevant information.

There are 100+ strains - only a few are associated with cervical cancer.

Are those infections which are transient the ones associated with cervical cancer?

With 100+ strains, 95% being transient is still consistent with the remaining 5% being potentially deadly. If the point of the vaccine is to protect against the strains associated with cervical (and other) cancers, and those strains are not transient, who cares that the others are? Nothing in the article provided enough information to answer that critical question.

Not to mention that the quotes are misleading - in that they omit the "but" portion of the comments: "though they are likely to be re-infected if they are sexually active."

[Soundman]

104. You are totally and completely wrong.

You should either stop posting this nonsense or do more thorough research. I have read the same bs about hepatitis. Allow me to relay what my wife's oncologist told us (she just finished her 2nd round of in patient brachytherapy for stage 3 cervical cancer). Two more rounds of chemo and external beam radiation to go, anyway...

I specifically asked him about the very some thing you are espousing. He said that it is totally and completely wrong. Once you have HPV you always have HPV. He said that it can become dormant and undetectable and that leads to the false belief that you have cleared it. He said that a dormant person may test negative, and it would require testing/biopsies of your entire body to find it, but it will be there.

My wife's oncologist participated in the trials that have produced what is now called the gold standard treatment, and is considered to be one of the top guys in the obgyn/oncology field, so I believe him over the stuff I have read on the net. And I have read everything I can find.

The reason I asked the oncologist about this specifically is because I was worried that that I could possibly reinfect her if she cleared the virus through her treatment (going on the assumption that I am also infected). He's said no way would that be possible, since she nor anyone else will ever be cured of HPV. Once you have it you always have it. And trying to figure out the when, who, and why was totally non productive.

Here is my advice to the woman and husbands out there. If you are having ANY unusual symptoms and they attribute it to pre-menopause, seek out a 2nd opinion immediately. After I started educating myself I was alarmed to find out there were so many stories just like ours out there. Not to be alarming but.... my wife went from everything is fine, good pap results and so on to stage 3 in 11 months.

Sorry if my reply came across as crass but I believe our oncologist and his staff over anything else I have read! Also, if you are in the central Ohio area and need someone I would be happy to give you his contact info.

[bettyellen]

106. She is, thank you for posting the correct info.

[RiffRandell]

113. That is so scary.

She was getting paps annually that were normal, then had one as she was having problems and was Stage 3?

Super scary.

Hope she is doing well and thanks for the info.

[PDittie]

34. TMI

[RobertEarl]

38. Always brush your teeth after doing that.

I hope that helps.

[Ian David]

41. Fuck it. I'm asking my doctor about getting the HPV vaccine. n/t

[hedgehog]

54. Good for you! that's taking responsibility for your health!

[Manifestor_of_Light]

45. TMI.

[Ms. Toad]

93. No, it isn't.

No more than information about birth control is TMI.

This is a serious issue - especially since so many teens don't believe oral sex is really sex and engage in it much more casually than they might engage in intercourse.

"It's gotten to the point now where 60 to 70% of all tonsil cancers in the U.S. are HPV-related," Lydiatt said.

Although the link between HPV and these types of cancers is indisputable, the association with oral sex is strong but a little more speculative, experts say.

A 2007 study in the New England Journal of Medicine found that younger people with head and neck cancers who tested positive for oral HPV infection were more likely to have had multiple vaginal and oral sex partners in their lifetime.

In the study, having six or more oral sex partners over a lifetime was associated with a 3.4 times higher risk for oropharyngeal cancer — cancers of the base of the tongue, back of the throat or tonsils. Having 26 or more vaginal-sex partners tripled the risk.

http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/health/medical/health/medical/cancer/story/2011/01/Study-Rise-in-some-cancers-linked-to-oral-sex-/43056302/1

The rate of tonsil cancer is rising at an alarming rate, partly because people are not aware that the HPV virus can be transmitted orally, or that it may not be harmless.

[NoodleyAppendage]

47. I am a 2 year survivor of tonsillar cancer (stage 4) from HPV-16

Two years ago I started having jaw problems and then trismus (lockjaw), which was mistakenly diagnosed as TMJ until I went to an ENT doc for a second-opinion. I had a 4 cm tumor growing in my left tonsil, which was irritating the jaw muscles and causing the lockjaw. The tumor was biopsied after it was surgically removed and was positive for HPV-16. The ENT said it was probably laying dormant for ~10-15 years. After the biopsy, I underwent 6 weeks of combined chemotherapy and radiation. The treatment almost killed me and I lost ~50-60 pounds for the same reason as Michael Douglas (i.e., liquid only diet). When you radiate the mouth, the taste buds are the first to die. When you loose all sense of taste, everything tastes like spit/snot. Not very conducive to ones appetite, indeed.

I am now 2 years out from my treatment with no recurrence (so far). My odds are good, but I sure wish that the HPV vaccine was available to me as a young teen. I could have been spared all of this.

I now tell all my friends with kids to have them vaccinated. I am proof positive that HPV can and does cause cancer in males.

-- I would counter, though, that having more cunnilingus does NOT cure HPV oral cancer. It does, however, serve to help strengthen the tongue muscles after radiation therapy. Maybe that was Michael Douglas' intent in his message above?

[RiffRandell]

56. I know exactly what you mean.

I'm glad you are doing well. When my husband hit that 5 year mark I felt relieved, but it is always in the back of my mind and every 3 months when he sees his ENT I start freaking.

Not sure if you know this, but people who had HPV+ tumors have a higher survival rate than ones who got it from smoking/drinking.

Thanks for your honesty; people really need to educate themselves on the seriousness of this disease.

[NoodleyAppendage]

60. No problem. I look forward to my 5 year mark. Have the Dom Pérignon waiting in the closet n/t

Cheers!

J

[aka-chmeee]

69. Spooky..

I could have written your post except I finish my treatment 2 months ago, not 2 years. Same tonsil even. Still a month before my follow up PET scan.

[NoodleyAppendage]

71. I wish you well. As you probably know, if you can make the 2 yr mark your odds of recurrence...

...are particularly low.

How are you maintaining your weight/hydration? It was the rapid weight loss and dehydration that nearly put me 6 feet under. The whole time I was going through the treatment effects I was struck by why someone hadn't invented a pill to deaden taste sensation as a means for weight control. It was extremely effective for me!

Hang in there!

[aka-chmeee]

94. I made it through the treatments

but with over 50 lbs of weight loss. (as a Santa Claus, I had a fair amount of cushion) but toward the end, the lack of taste caused everything to trigger my gag reflex. Drs admonished me to consider it "food as medicine"; I countered with "even medicine has a taste". Anyway, just after I finished the 7 weeks of radiation and chemo, I realized that I was seemingly quite happily starving myself to death and approached my medical oncologist about a feeding tube which was installed that same day. I haven't regained all of my weight, but some, and strength and stamina are improving. Taste is better; but nothing tastes quite right....even water. Santa's beard, alas!, is gone and I don't think it will return, so guess I will have to be a yak hair Santa now.
I had not heard the two year significance. Radiologist did say the prognosis was good for this type of cancer (P16 positive?) and there was a high probability that I would be finished with it after treatment.
I, too had the thought about the connection between taste and weight control. I can see now that I have probably never eaten just because I was hungry rather I eat for the joy of food.
Congrats on making the 2 years ! And glad you are doing well, praise FSM. I got more information from this thread than was provided by Drs, very happy I saw it.

[NoodleyAppendage]

108. Yep, "failure to thrive." I was there too.

Regarding taste, you will find that sweet sensation comes back first, then sour, then salty. Food will taste funky for a while, but slowly you will regain your taste. The biggest lingering issue will be dry mouth, because if you are like me they will have cooked all but just one or two salivary glands. I recommend getting familiar with milk. I drink milk all the time now when I eat, as it pairs well with food and helps with the lack of saliva. If you like dry crusty bread, I'm afraid you will be shit out luck for quite some time. Soups, goopy food (mexican), and anything with dairy are going to be easiest to stomach for a while.

Hang in there. It does get better!!!

J

[RiffRandell]

48. I was an oral cancer caregiver to my husband and am pretty disgusted by some of the responses here.

He was age 39, light smoker/drinker and had a lump in the neck. Diagnosed Stage 3, lost 70lbs, given 50/50 chance of living, had a feeding tube, radiation that burned his neck and throat, coughed up mucus into a bucket for months.

It's a horrible cancer to go through. He is 7 years in remission, back then they didn't test for HPV+ tumors but I think it's mandatory now because HPV is now the highest cause of oral cancer. The HPV virus (4 strains) that causes cervical/oral cancers are the ones that don't cause genital warts.

Was his caused by HPV? Don't know. I do know it's extremely serious, I always get my pap smears (no problems) and my OB (or insurance) will only test for those strains if it's abnormal.

Gardisil....got my son the vaccine and will get it for my daughter when it's time.

This website is full of info and helped us so much in dealing with it: http://oralcancerfoundation.org/

Here is the info on the HPV connection: http://www.oralcancerfoundation.org/hpv/

[Sissyk]

61. RiffRandell,

I am so glad your husband (and family) are doing so well.

I have a great friend that never smoked or was a drinker that is now 3 years in remission.

[Lady Freedom Returns]

55. K & R

This is something that many need to know.

[Aerows]

57. Well

I guess I'm destined to die of throat cancer, and I'll be glad to go that way if that's the reason.

[cynatnite]

68. Go watch someone die of throat cancer...

It is a horrible and painful way to die.

[Aerows]

73. Endure being a lesbian

and have everyone hate you for your choice, then you have a right to say anything about it.

[cynatnite]

74. You were making light of throat cancer...

This has nothing to do with being a lesbian.

[Aerows]

77. I don't make light of throat cancer

What I do make light of is people that deem themselves worthy of passing judgment on everyone else, which is what you did.

If you care to refute that it is exactly what you did, I'll just refer you to your post.

[cynatnite]

81. You said you'd be glad to go that way if oral sex was the reason...

I've watched too many people die from that disease and it is a horrible and painful way to die. That was the point I was making.

I'm sorry I was not clear and I'm sorry for offending you.

[Aerows]

82. I strive to not be an asshole

and sometimes I come across as one. It's horrible, and thank you for enlightening people. I also apologize for being one, since that wasn't your intention.

[Aerows]

58. Zeta-Jones

entire life has been a fabrication, so it doesn't surprise me that he fabricates what is a loving act between two people as detrimental.

[NoodleyAppendage]

62. Like it or not, but loving acts can sometimes come with serious consequences.

If you don't have HPV, then you are lucky. HPV does not discriminate based upon sexual preference or gender.

It's really not that hard of an issue. Get yourself vaccinated (if available and not positive already), then enjoy away without any worry about at least catching the form that will give you cancer.

J

[Aerows]

75. Thanks, NoodleyAppendage

that's good information, and the best I've heard in this thread. Ramen.

[tabasco]

59. After reading this thread

I want to go live in a cave.

[Nye Bevan]

70. "Without wanting to get too specific".....

well that didn't really work out so well, did it?

[rastaone]

72. I know I shouldn't laugh

But it sure sounds funny. I gather you have to give a lot of oral sex to contract it orally. Wish him the best.

[cynatnite]

76. Nope, you don't...it's HPV and it only takes one time to get it. n/t

[rastaone]

78. Oh my

I am guessing doing it in the pool also doesnt prevent pregnancy?

[Bennyboy]

84. As a male single geezer this kind of (no, it really does) sucks.....

Let's just say that some parts of my body are not as responsive as they once were, and oral sex is the way to bring a female partner to orgasm. Although I don't find myself in this dilemma as much as i once did, this is gonna be a problem as to what to add and take away from my repertoire. especially the first time thing where you don't know each other well enough to know certain peculiarities of your partner..... And even then.....

[Ms. Toad]

91. Make dental dams your new best friend. n/t

[Zoeisright]

89. And tobacco is totally blameless.

Uh huh.

[NoMoreWarNow]

95. yeah-- I would imagine smoking could easily synergize with HPV to cause cancer

HPV by itself only causes cancer at a low rate, and most types of HPV are not cancer causing.

[HappyMe]

96. k&r

It's important that people realize that this is no joke.

[Kali]

98. k and r

was expecting snark and BS, but this was good article and discussion. thanks for posting Bennyboy. hope all is going well for you

[Xyzse]

101. Hrm, I am hearing that he didn't actually say this.

Odd.

[olddots]

102. I've had a feeding tube for going on 8 months

This form of cancer ( neck-head=throat ) has a joke that goes along with it " they save your life but you're going to wish you were dead "

I have nothing to say about the Douglas couple or HPV ,sex , tobacco and drugs . we live till we die so will somebody please eat a huge meal for me because having no taste buds and saliva isn't pleasant.

[riderinthestorm]

111. Oh no olddots. I am so, so very sorry. You know first hand then what is up with this...

I hope you are at peace.

[cbdo2007]

103. Aw shoot, that's one of my favorite hobbies :(

[flamingdem]

107. So many DUers have experienced HPV but it's so rarely discussed

I think that might be because there is really no way to prevent getting it from a partner unless one has taken the drug, and for us older folks it is not recommended.

Women can be tested for it but I think men cannot? Are not? Because it hurts! Anyone know for sure?

[Tom Ripley]

109. He actually said "Axl Rose", but the typesetter was dyslexic

[question everything]

115. Used to be Herpes

Many years ago, in virology class we were taught about Herpes Simplex type 1 and type 2 viruses. One was associated with cold sores on the mouth, the other with genital warts. Or, one usually was found above the waist, the other below. Or, added the instructor with a smile, depends on what you do.

So it is interesting the HPV now replaced Herpes in spreading during sexual contact.