Oral cancer virus affects 7 percent of Americans


January 26, 2012 at 9:42a.m.

Oral cancer virus affects 7 percent of Americans

CHICAGO (AP) — The first national estimate shows about 16 million Americans have the oral HPV virus. That’s the sexually transmitted virus more commonly linked with cervical cancer but it also can cause oral cancer.

HPV, or human papilloma virus, is increasingly recognized as a major cause of oral cancers affecting the back of the tongue and tonsil area. Smoking and heavy drinking are also key causes.

Until now, it was not known how many people have oral HPV infections.

But a study of nationally representative data says that 7 percent of Americans aged 14 to 69 are infected.

The results were released online Thursday in the Journal of the American Medical Association.