Michael Douglas and HPV: the link between oral sex and throat cancer

In 2010, Michael Douglas was treated for stage 4 cancer at the base of his tongue, with chemotherapy and radiotherapy, and he was later reported to be cancer-free.

In an interview with the Guardian in June 2013, he talked about HPV, passed on through oral sex, as a cause of this type of cancer. His spokesperson later said he’d been talking about the causes of this kind of cancer in general, not about the cause of his own.

Whatever caused his cancer, the interview got a lot of people talking about a link most of them hadn’t heard of. The base of the tongue is part of the oropharynx, the part of the throat just behind the mouth, and that’s where most HPV-linked head and neck cancers are found.

HPV is a group of more than 100 viruses. Some high-risk types can cause changes to cells that can turn into cancer. Cancers linked to HPV include cancers of the cervix, anus, penis, vulva and vagina, and some head and neck cancers.

In the head and neck, the link is strongest for oropharyngeal cancers, which include cancers of the tonsils and the base of the tongue:

• HPV causes around half of oropharyngeal cancers in the UK.
• HPV causes only a small share of cancers inside the mouth itself.
• The risk of these cancers is higher in people who’ve had more oral sex partners.
• HPV-linked oropharyngeal cancers have become more common over the last 20 years, especially in men.

Smoking and drinking alcohol also raise the risk of mouth and throat cancers, especially together. Read more in “What cancers can HPV cause?”

HPV is very common. Most people will get some type of HPV in their life, and you don’t need to have penetrative sex to catch it. It’s passed on through:

• skin-to-skin contact of the genital area
• vaginal, anal or oral sex
• sharing sex toys

HPV doesn’t usually cause any symptoms, and most infections clear by themselves within 2 years without causing any problems. The types that cause genital warts, mainly types 6 and 11, are different from the high-risk types linked with cancer. Read more in “Can you get HPV in your mouth?”

You can lower your risk of HPV and the cancers it can cause:

• Get the HPV vaccine if you can. In England, it’s offered to children aged 12 to 13. If you missed it, girls and women can have it up to their 25th birthday, as can boys and men born after 1 September 2006. Gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men can have it up to their 46th birthday. Most people under 25 need just one dose.
• Use condoms, and dental dams for oral sex. They make passing on HPV less likely, but they don’t cover all the skin around the genitals, so they don’t fully protect you.
• Don’t smoke, and cut down on alcohol, as both raise the risk of mouth and throat cancers.

The UK vaccine programme says the HPV vaccine helps protect against some mouth and throat cancers, as well as cervical cancer and genital warts. Read more in “Does the HPV vaccine prevent oral HPV?”

These symptoms are very common and are usually caused by something else. But see a doctor or dentist if you have:

• a mouth ulcer that lasts more than 3 weeks
• a lump inside your mouth, on your lip, or in your neck or throat
• a hoarse (croaky) voice that doesn’t go away
• problems swallowing

It’s best to get a symptom like this checked rather than wait to see if it goes away by itself.

No. There’s no routine test for HPV in the mouth or throat, and there’s no blood test for HPV. HPV testing is part of cervical screening, which checks a sample from the cervix for high-risk types of HPV. In England, it’s offered every 5 years to women and people with a cervix aged 25 to 64.

Better2Know’s HPV tests check a genital sample:

• HPV home test: for women, a vaginal swab that checks for 14 high-risk types of HPV, with results in 3 days.
• HPV and Genital Warts test: a genital or vaginal swab, with results in 3 days. Men can only be tested if there’s a visible wart or growth to swab.

If you’ve had oral sex and you’re worried about STIs, Better2Know offers:

• Oral Screen home test: checks your throat and genitals for Chlamydia and Gonorrhoea, and tests your blood for Syphilis, Herpes 1 and Herpes 2, from 14 days after sex (28 days for Herpes), with results in 2 days.
• Full Screen: tests your blood and urine, not your throat, for 7 infections, including HIV, Chlamydia, Gonorrhoea and Syphilis, from 28 days after sex, with results in 3 days. If you test before 45 days, a negative HIV result needs a repeat test.

Neither includes HPV. A Syphilis test in the first 3 months after sex can miss the infection, so you may need a repeat test. Not sure which test you need? Our Patient Care Team is available 24/7 on 020 7099 0955.

Did HPV cause Michael Douglas’s cancer?

We don’t know. He talked about HPV as a cause of this type of cancer, but his spokesperson said he’d been speaking in general terms.

Can you get HPV from oral sex?

Yes. HPV can be passed on through oral sex, as well as vaginal and anal sex and genital skin contact. Using a condom or dental dam makes it less likely. Read more in “Can you get HPV from kissing?”

Does the HPV vaccine protect against throat cancer?

The UK vaccine programme says it helps protect against some mouth and throat cancers, as well as cervical cancer and genital warts. It doesn’t protect against every type of HPV.

Michael Douglas’s interview brought the link between HPV, oral sex and throat cancer into the open. HPV is very common and usually harmless, but some types can cause cancer. The HPV vaccine, condoms and dental dams, and not smoking all lower your risk, and a mouth or throat symptom that lasts more than 3 weeks is worth getting checked.

Order an Oral Screen home test from 14 days after sex to check for other STIs you can catch through oral sex. Our Patient Care Team is available 24/7 on 020 7099 0955.

Not in the UK? Choose your country from the selector at the top of the page for local tests and prices.

This article originally appeared on 3 June 2013 and was last updated on 30 September 2026.

This article is general information and not a substitute for personal medical advice.

Sources

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