‘Licking women’ can cause throat cancer

Whereas some men are of the view that oral sex especially those who lick the private parts of their partners are not at risk of throat cancer, a Gynaecologist at the Tamale Teaching Hospital has warned men against the practice.

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According to Dr Hawa Malechi, the Human Papillomavirus (HPV), that causes the much-talked about cervical cancer can also cause cancer of the penis known medically as penile cancer as well as throat cancer.

She therefore advised that men must take preventive measures just as seriously as women are advised to take against cervical cancer.

Speaking in an interview with JoyNews at the National Cervical Cancer forum organised last Friday under the auspices of the Second Lady, Samira Bawumia monitored by MyNewsGh.com, she stressed that given that the virus is a sexually transmitted virus, it can cause cancer in other areas of the body apart of the cervix even though it most frequently causes cancer in the cervix. Hence the emphasis on cervical cancer education and prevention.

“The virus that is complicated in this cervical cancer
is a sexually transmitted virus…We’ve also said that the virus does not
affect only the cervix. It affects the vagina; it affects the pens, the scrotal
skin; it affects the vulva, that’s the outside of the vagina; and it can cause
cancer in all these areas. The frequent place is the cervical cancer. And that
is where it affects us (women). When a man gets HPV, he can equally develop
penile cancer.

So that is why when we talk about the primary prevention,
which is the immunization, we are not limiting it to only young girls. We say
vaccinate both boys and girls to reduce the load of the HPV virus in the
community. And the virus can even cause cancer of the throat [through oral
sex]. So it is not limited to women,” Dr Malechi said.

She added that the virus can also cause throat cancer
through oral sex and stressed that both males and females must take preventive
measures, especially vaccination.

Cervical cancer has become a major health concern for women
and various individuals are championing campaigns to help reduce its
prevalence.

Mrs Bawumia, in her speech, lamented deaths as a result of cervical cancer and declared that: “No Ghanaian should die from this disease,” encouraging those involved in the fight against the disease to “Let us align our efforts using our expertise, voices, persuasive power and knowledge to advance this cause. We can only prevent cervical cancer if we work together.”