When Frank Lane found a hard lump on his neck last year, he first dismissed it as swollen glands. But medical checks revealed a scary truth: throat cancer caused by human papillomavirus (HPV), contracted through oral sex decades earlier.
HPV infections are common but mostly cleared by the immune system. In rare cases, like Frank’s, persistent infection can cause cancer in areas like the throat.
Frank, who served in the army in his youth, said he wasn’t promiscuous but had sexual experiences around age 20. He was shocked at the link between his cancer and HPV passed through oral sex.
His treatments were tough, especially radiotherapy, but now he is healthy and urges others to be vigilant with symptoms and check-ups.
While joking about quitting oral sex, Frank’s main message stresses early detection and awareness.
