HPV linked throat cancer prompts warning

A man mistook a neck lump for gym fatigue and learned it was throat cancer caused by HPV from oral sex, prompting a health warning.

HPV linked throat cancer prompts warning after diagnosis

Frank Lane, 60, of Hampshire, found an egg sized lump on the right side of his neck while shaving in November. He initially blamed it on gym fatigue and watched it for two weeks, but the lump did not shrink. A GP visit led to a biopsy that found a mass on the tonsil, and ten days later he received a throat cancer diagnosis.

Doctors linked the cancer to HPV and said the infection dated back about 40 years. Lane had been sexually active at 20 but did not have many partners. He says the diagnosis changed his view on risk and behavior. In January 2024 he began treatment at Henley Hospital in Oxfordshire. After two rounds of chemotherapy failed to shrink the tumor, doctors recommended an intensive six week radiotherapy course. He is now in remission and undergoes checkups every two months, urging others to take unusual symptoms seriously and seek medical advice early.

This case shows how easily a serious illness can be overlooked when symptoms mimic everyday habits like exercise fatigue. It also highlights that HPV-related cancers affect men too, not just women, and that stigma around sexual health can delay care.

Public health messaging should stress that HPV can cause cancers beyond the cervix and that vaccination in both sexes helps prevent these outcomes. Clear communication about symptoms and timely screening can reduce the toll of aggressive treatments and improve survival chances. The story invites reflection on how doctors talk about risk and how patients interpret warnings without judgment.

Highlights

A reminder that health headlines often hinge on timely action more than dramatic moments.