In my trip back up to Salt Lake from St. George, I was listening to NPR. There was a guy talking about cancer. Apparently at this point it has been shown that 20% of cancers are caused by viruses. Most recently (and newsworthily), it is suggested that people (women?) receive the HPV vaccine, because it will immunize you against cervical cancer. Anyway, the good news about this is that viruses can be prevented. Additionally, it is now noted that antibiotics will actually help with some causes of cancer. There are even some kinds of breast cancer that are apparently caused by a virus. THIS IS HUGE, because viruses can be stopped.
Here's a link to an article explaining how oral sex causes more throat cancers than smoking. Seriously. http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2011/03/01/133968901/virus-passed-during-oral-sex-tops-tobacco-as-throat-cancer-cause?ps=sh_fthdl Of course it's not just sex, it's sex with multiple partners, or with someone that has had multiple partners, that is dangerous. According to the article, a person that has had oral sex with 6 people is 8 times more likely to get throat cancer.
Here's another article that talks about how viruses are being looked at more and more as causes of cancer. http://www.livescience.com/10023-viruses-cancer-previously-thought.html
I really wish I could find a link to the interview that I heard earlier. He explained a couple of times that the virus gets into a cell, and then it causes the cell to replicate with a slightly altered composition. Not a full on "I'm a viral cell!" composition, but one that makes the body think that these cells are normal players to be left alone. Eventually, often years later, these altered cells 'wake up,' and surprise! you've got cancer.
Maybe some of you all already knew this. I didn't. I thought cancer was caused by having different genes period. Guess not. Anyway... Rock on!
Jeff
Here's a link to an article explaining how oral sex causes more throat cancers than smoking. Seriously. http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2011/03/01/133968901/virus-passed-during-oral-sex-tops-tobacco-as-throat-cancer-cause?ps=sh_fthdl Of course it's not just sex, it's sex with multiple partners, or with someone that has had multiple partners, that is dangerous. According to the article, a person that has had oral sex with 6 people is 8 times more likely to get throat cancer.
Here's another article that talks about how viruses are being looked at more and more as causes of cancer. http://www.livescience.com/10023-viruses-cancer-previously-thought.html
I really wish I could find a link to the interview that I heard earlier. He explained a couple of times that the virus gets into a cell, and then it causes the cell to replicate with a slightly altered composition. Not a full on "I'm a viral cell!" composition, but one that makes the body think that these cells are normal players to be left alone. Eventually, often years later, these altered cells 'wake up,' and surprise! you've got cancer.
Maybe some of you all already knew this. I didn't. I thought cancer was caused by having different genes period. Guess not. Anyway... Rock on!
Jeff
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