HPV and Oropharyngeal Cancer in Men - Research Paper Example

?HPV and Oropharyngeal Cancer in men Introduction Human papillomavirus, commonly known as HPV, is a of virus that infects humans in the skin membranes. Infections caused by the virus are particularly recessive and are rarely identified, through observations, due to lack of notable symptoms. Oropharyngeal cancer is on the other hand a type of cancer that affects oropharynx tissues along the throat. There has been a developed relationship between Human papillomavirus and Oropharyngeal Cancer with the viral infection greatly increasing a person’s vulnerability to the cancer. Seppa (2011) explains that though the virus was previously believed to infect women and not men, observations, in history, have indicated high rates of infection among men. This means that while the infection was previously ‘non-existent’ in men, or otherwise previously not detected in men, cases of viral infections have increasingly been reported among men to an extent that men are now equally vulnerable to the viral infection as women are. Further research has also proved that varieties of types of the HPV virus are sexually transmitted and hence the infection in men that occurs during contacts in sexual interactions. As a result, the viral infection in men is not a recent emergence, but has either been existed in history without being noticed, or has taken some time to rise from a zero prevalence rate to its current prevalence rate that equals the rate among women. The history of the relationship between HPV and Oropharyngeal Cancer in men has also been significantly reported with an increasing trend in men bellow fifty years of age. Marur et al. explains that the cancer has particularly been increasing among the category of men in the past years (2010). The authors particularly relate the cancer to “human papillomavirus 16 infection” (p. 781). They also explain that through the history of the relationship between the virus and the HPV has not been rich, HPV 16 has been identified with a large percentage of Oropharyngeal cancer, to contribute to as high as 90 percent of head and neck related cancers. The extensive rate of infection of HPV and its association with Oropharyngeal cancer therefore calls for preventive measures such as vaccination among the vulnerable groups. Research developments that have revealed the extent of vulnerability of men with respect to Oropharyngeal cancer have also identified HPV as an increasingly developing risk factor towards Oropharyngeal cancer infections (D'Souza, G., & Dempsey, A. 2011). Statement of problem This paper seeks to discuss significant research and data that has been developed over HPV and Oropharyngeal Cancer in men with the aim of exploring HPV as a contemporary issue facing nurse practitioners and established relationship between HPV and Oropharyngeal Cancer in men. The paper will also research into the role of nurse practitioner with respect to HPV and Oropharyngeal Cancer in men. Literature review The general perception that has in the past existed that HPV infections are associated with women and not men is still felt as little research has been conducted to understand men’s opinions and knowledge over the infection. A research conducted by Brewer et al. indicated that a majority of men have not yet understood the relationship between HPV infections and cancer. In the research that sought to establish the perception among heterosexual men and homosexual men, the authors established that men are oblivious of the possible infections that are associated with HPV. Only about 40 percent of the respondents, for example, were aware that HPV could lead to genital warts. Similarly, less than a quarter of the respondents were aware that HPV could cause either anal cancer or oral cancer. There is therefore a high level of ignorance over the relationship between HPV and Oropharyngeal Cancer in men. Though a significant majority of the respondents associated sexual interactions with infections such as “genital warts and anal cancer,” they did not specifically identify the possible role of HPV in the infections. Brewer et al. therefore concluded that “many men were unaware that HPV infection can cause genital warts, Oral cancer and anal cancer” (Brewer et al., 2010). The relationship between HPV and Oropharyngeal Cancer in men has further been explored with respect to sexual behavior. D’Souza et al particularly conducted a research that established a relationship between oral sex and oral HPV. The research that separately investigated the odds of contracting HPV between college students and a group of patients indicated that the rate of oral HPV infections were directly proportional to the number of oral sex practices that the participants had been involved in. the research however failed to establish a relationship between oral HPV and vaginal sex. This means that sexual behaviors initiate HPV infections towards Oropharyngeal Cancer in men (D’Souza et al., 2009). A contrary opinion would have indicated a relationship between oral HPV and vaginal sexual practices to the conclusion that HPV infections are independent of sexual practices. Similarly, D’Souza and Dempsey demonstrated that the relationship between HPV viral infections and cancer is not restricted to genitals but extends to other parts of the body such as the pharynx (2011). Different types of HPV viruses, for instance, have been linked with varying types of cancer with HPV 16 being identified with oral cancer (Oncology times, 2010). The general opinion, as was supported by the research conducted by Brewer et al., indicates that tobacco is a major cause of oral cancer. Research however contradicts the publicly held opinion on smoking as the only major risk factor towards oral cancer. Goberville for example explains that a high percentage of oral cancer patients are diagnosed with HPV 16. With as high as 25 percent reported cases of HPV 16 in oral cancer cases, HPV and sexual behavior becomes identified as one of the major factors that contributes to Oropharyngeal Cancer in men (Goberville, 2010). NP role The scope of work of a nurse practitioner includes “preventive and acute health care services” to people (Acnpweb, n.d., p. 1). A nurse practitioner therefore ensures that preventive measures such as vaccination against diseases as well as treatment are offered in time. One of the roles of nurse practitioners, with respect to the issues of HPV and Oropharyngeal Cancer in men, is therefore to facilitate awareness among men of the need to be vaccinated against HPV. This initiative can break the initially developed cultural belief that vaccination of women against HPV is sufficient to protect men from the infection. The nurse practitioners also needs to educate people that the equivalence in rates of HPV infections in men and women means that both gender requires vaccination besides the fact that homosexual men cannot gain immunity through women (Sanchez, et al., 2011; Aids, 2011). The awareness role is further supported by the fact that practitioners have identified the need, against public opinion, to vaccinate men against HPV (Weiss, et al., 2010). The high reported rates of HPV infections in men also calls for increased efforts among nurse practitioners to promote vaccination and other relevant care among men, such as early detection and treatment, in order to control the infection towards controlling Oropharyngeal Cancer in men (Kim, 2011; Peate, 2011). Nursing research implications Based on the existing data that reveals increasingly high reported cases of HPV infections and its association with Oropharyngeal Cancer in men, further research needs to be done to explore reasons for the trend. Future research also needs to study the relationship between other sexual behaviors and HPV and appropriate strategies for creating awareness among men. Since sex is a social factor, more research should also be done on the effect of psychological, economic, cognitive, emotional, and clinical factors in order to effectively understand sexual behavior for a better approach to nurse practitioner roles. References Acnpweb. (n.d). “Nurse practitioner scope of practice.” American College of Nurse Practitioners. Retrieved from: http://www.acnpweb.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=3465 Aids. (2011). “Time to boost uptake of HPV vaccine in men.” AIDS Alert, 26(4), 43-44. Brewer, N. T., Ng, T. W., McRee, A., & Reiter, P. L. (2010). Men's beliefs about HPV-related disease. Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 33(4), 274-281. doi:10.1007/s10865-010-9251-2 D'Souza, G., & Dempsey, A. 2011). The role of HPV in head and neck cancer and review of the HPV vaccine. Preventive Medicine, 53, S5-s11. D'Souza, G., Agrawal, Y., Halpern, J., Bodison, S., & Gillison, M. L. (2009). Oral sexual behaviors associated with prevalent oral human papillomavirus infection. Journal of Infectious Diseases, 199(9), 1263-1269. doi:10.1086/597755 Goberville S. (2010). Can oral sex be as dangerous as smoking? access 24:26-8, 2010. (2010). Dental Abstracts, 55(4), 216-217. Kim, J. J. (2011). Weighing the benefits and costs of HPV vaccination of young men. New England Journal of Medicine, 364(5), 393-395. Marur, S., D'Souza, G., Westra, W. H., & Forastiere, A. A. (2010). HPV-associated head and neck cancer: A virus-related cancer epidemic. Lancet Oncology, 11(8), 781-789. doi:10.1016/S1470-2045(10)70017-6 Oncology. (2010).The HPV & oral cancer connection. Oncology Times, 32(23), 34-34. Peate, I. (2011). Protect men from HPV. Practice Nursing, 22(6), 282-282. Sanchez, M. R., Tung, W., Amos, E. A., & Lu, M. (2011). HPV prevention in high-risk males. The Journal for Nurse Practitioners, 7(1), 55-61. doi:10.1016/j.nurpra.2010.10.002 Seppa, N. (2011). “Half of adult male carry HPV.” Science News. Retrieved from: http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/70435/title/Half_of_adult_males_carry_HPV Weiss, T. W., Zimet, G. D., Rosenthal, S. L., Brenneman, S. K., & Klein, J. D. (2010). Human papillomavirus vaccination of males: Attitudes and perceptions of physicians who vaccinate females. Journal of Adolescent Health, 47(1), 3-11. doi:10.1016/j.jadohealth.2010.03.003 Read More