The doctor implies that oral sex has surpassed smoking and alcohol as the biggest risk factor for THROAT CANCER

A doctor on TikTok has claimed that oral sex is the leading cause of throat cancer.

Dr. Daria Sadovskaya, 29, from Singapore, posted a video last month about the connection between performing oral sex with a partner and the potentially life-threatening disease.

Traditionally, tobacco use and excessive alcohol consumption are believed to be the two biggest risk factors for developing throat cancer.

But when one of Dr. Sadovskaya’s hundreds of thousands of followers asked, “Are you saying oral sex is the main cause of throat cancer?”, she responded by singing along to the song’s lyrics: “I said what I said.”

Doctors say the human papillomavirus (HPV), a family of viruses that infect the genitals and can be transmitted to the throat during oral sex, is increasingly the source of throat cancer.

Men are at greater risk because women are more likely to carry the virus. Michael Douglas famously claimed that HPV was the cause of his throat cancer.

But Dr. Sadovskya advises men to wear condoms when performing oral sex, just to be safe.

Oral sex can lead to an HPV infection in the back of the throat or near the tonsils.

HPV is best known for its link to cervical cancer, but is responsible for approximately one in 20 cancers worldwide, including cancers of the mouth, throat, penis and anus.

These infections clear up on their own in most cases, but can sometimes persist and cause throat cancer, a general term referring to cancer that grows in the throat, called pharyngeal cancer, or in the voice box, called laryngeal cancer.

Most throat cancers involve the same types of cells, but specific terms are used to categorize the area of ​​the throat where the cancer has developed.

Nasopharyngeal cancer starts in the nasopharynx, the part of your throat just behind your nose.

Oropharyngeal cancer starts in the oropharynx — the part of your throat just behind your mouth that includes your tonsils.

Hypopharyngeal cancer, also known as laryngopharyngeal cancer, starts in the hypopharynx (also known as the laryngopharynx) – the lower part of your throat, just above your esophagus and trachea.

In 2023, an estimated 54,540 American adults will be diagnosed with oral cavity or oropharyngeal cancer, and 11,580 will die from the cancer.

Oral cavity and oropharynx cancers most often occur in the tongue, tonsils and oropharynx (the part of the throat behind the mouth), gums, floor of the mouth, and other parts of the mouth.

Between 2015 and 2019, incidence rates increased by less than one percent per year in women, but remained stable in men. American Cancer Society.

But the number of cancers in the oropharynx linked to HPV infection increased annually by 1.3 percent in women and 2.8 percent in men between 2015 and 2019.

The average age at diagnosis of oropharyngeal cancer is 64 years, but more than one in five cases occur in people under the age of 55.

Actor Michael Douglas was diagnosed with throat cancer in 2010.

When asked by The Guardian if he regretted the years of smoking and drinking that were thought to be linked to his illness, the actor said: ‘No. Because without wanting to get too specific: this specific cancer is caused by HPV [human papillomavirus]which actually comes from cunnilingus [oral sex on a woman].

Dr. Sadovskaya said in her video: ‘Men are more likely to develop throat cancer from oral sex with women, because women are more likely to carry the virus in their genital area.’

Dr. Sadovskaya, who goes by @sadoskaya_doctor on TikTok, often shares everyday health insights and medical facts with her 90,000 social media followers.

She recently made headlines after sharing why it’s crucial to tie your hair back when you go to the toilet to prevent fecal matter from affecting your skin.

In her latest video, which has been viewed more than 141,000 times, Dr Sadovskaya reveals a horrifying link between oral sex and throat cancer.

Oral sex can lead to an HPV infection in the back of the throat or near the tonsils.

These infections usually go away on their own in most cases, but can sometimes persist and cause cancer.

Speaking to NeedToKnow.co.uk, Dr. Sadovskaya: ‘Women who engage in oral sex may also be at risk, especially if their partners have an oral HPV infection.

‘However, women are more likely to be infected with high-risk HPV strains through vaginal or cervical contact, which can lead to cervical cancer.’

Symptoms include chronic bad breath, persistent pain in the throat, neck or ears, and difficulty swallowing.

Other symptoms include blood in the saliva, difficulty breathing, voice changes, persistent cough and a lump in the neck, Dr. Sadovskaya said.

She recommended getting the HPV vaccination to prevent this HPV-related cancers.

There is a vaccine against HPV, but only 54 percent of Americans have received it – far below the 80 percent considered a threshold for population safety.

Dr. Sadovskaya said: ‘You can also perform regular HPV screenings and checks, which will allow early detection and treatment of infections or abnormalities.’

“It is also important to practice safe sex by using condoms,” she added.

Scientists at NYU Langone estimate that as many as 70 percent of throat cancer cases are caused by HPV infections.

In the UK, head and neck cancers together account for more than 12,000 cases and 4,000 deaths each year.