Cancer research statistic show there has been a rapid rise in the transmission of the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) to the mouth region. The virus is more commonly associated with its presence in the cervix, but increasingly it is now being linked to the mouth. The virus can eventually lead to cancer, due to it amalgamating itself into the DNA within the cells and multiplying. When this happens it can increase out of control.
Senior consultant at London Bridge Hospital, Professor Mark McGurk, discussed the findings, “HPV has been causing mouth cancer for decades but the link is only now becoming clear. HPV is a hardy virus that likes sitting in lymphoid tissue wherever it is in the body.”
In the last decade, the number of cases of mouth cancer has risen by forty percent, with Cancer Research saying the increase could well be caused by the virus. The head of health information at Cancer Research, Hazel Nunn says, “There is now scientific evidence that a proportion of mouth and throat cancers are linked to HPV infection.” On a positive note, many people that contract the virus can eradicate it naturally within the body, and will not experience any negative symptoms from it. However, if people are aware that they have the virus then it will need to be monitored for any changes.