Been thinking about the
HPV issue some more lately and it really seems like a bad situation all around. Basically, theres a vaccination out there for girls who havent contracted HPV16, 11, 6 etc etc but what of the rest of us?
I believe there is a very large proponent of the population that might be at risk as a result of this, even moreso of course if the finding that even something as simple as kissing may be enough to spread the virus. I havent really heard of anything so alarming since HIV, at least in my short lifespan. The scary part is, based on current treatments and statistics, OC seems more precarious than even HIV.
In the case of genital lesions, particularly in women... cryo-surgery and other methods have been employed for years now which make for little consequence even if infected with the identified "high-risk" types of
HPV *and* even when disease is found in very late stages. Could the same type of procedure be employed for use in the mouth? I have heard nothing about this.
In my case, I know for a fact that one of the partners I was with had had prior cryo-surgery for genital lesions, so Im basically sure at this point that Im infected with at least one of the high risk types of
HPV... and Im not sure how to react to this, but it has really got me thinking...
What, if ANYTHING can be done from a preventative standpoint now? I have scheduled an ENT appointment due to the discomfort ive been feeling and the enlargement of my right tonsil, and if it is found by some miracle that I dont at least have a serious problem in there, Ive been trying to think of what I can do.
Dr. Gillison's report in some part states that most of the
HPV related tumors begin in the tonsil and surrounding areas due to the fact that the tonsils catch anything passing through the mouth. I have had VERY LARGE tonsils for going on three years now... they are obviously a catch all for anything that goes in my mouth. Even still, when I brought up the possibility of tonsillectomy to my last ENT a couple of years ago... he insisted that there was no reason to remove them if they were not causing me discomfort.
So my question is, by reducing the amount of area where the virus is hiding/could hide, would that not theoretically lower the risk of the cancerous cells ever forming there to begin with?
Sorry for such a long post, but this is something I can not seem to stop thinking about, nor can I stop kicking myself for being so foolish.
