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Publicis boss Arthur Sadoun publicly spoke about his throat cancer last April. While he is now working to make cancer no longer a taboo at work, he must also justify himself on how he contracted his disease. What is the link between the papillomavirus and ENT cancers? The answers of Professor Eric Caumes, infectious disease specialist and consultant at the Hôtel-Dieu in Paris, author of the book Sex the new dangers at Editions Bouquins, published in October 2022.
“There is nothing to be ashamed of. What is my fault? To have had sexual relations between the ages of 20 and 30? If so, I’ll let the prudish minds take offense”. It is with these words that Arthur Sadoun, boss of Publicis and husband of journalist Anne-Sophie Lapix, returned to the announcement of his illness, tonsil cancer, which he contracted in March 2022.
This pathology was caused by the virus of a sexually transmitted infection, papillomavirus. “It is a disease that is transmitted mainly during oral-genital intercourse.“explains Professor Eric Caumes, infectious disease doctor. “It is in a way the price to pay following the democratization of this type of sexual practice.“. Already in 2013, actor Michael Douglas had already made the link between his throat cancer and cunnilingus.
A sexually transmitted infection that rarely turns into cancer
If sexually transmitted infections are frequent, especially HPV or “human papillomavirus” in English, either human papillomavirus – which is the “more frequent throughout the world and in France” reminds Professor Caumes – the risk of contracting cancer afterwards is quite low, the body having the capacity to eradicate the virus in the vast majority of cases. “But unfortunately this is sometimes not the case and a cancer is triggered“says the specialist.
Lesions caused by HPV can lead to cancer in the infected person, sometimes 10 to 20 years after contamination. HPV is well known for cancers of the cervix, with 3000 cases per year, but the various HPVs can also cause ENT cancers, cancers of the vagina, vulva, penis or anus.
What are the symptoms and treatments for ENT cancers?
“LPapillomaviruses 16 and 18 alone explain 75% of ENT cancers” says the doctor again. As for the symptoms, they are not very present at the beginning of the disease. The boss of Publicis admits to having felt “a ganglion” by chance, while feeling his chin one day of boredom. In the case of Arthur Sadoun, the treatment consisted of chemotherapy, surgery and radiotherapy sessions. “In most cases, chemotherapy is not very effective, treatment typically consists of surgery and radiation” explains Eric Caumes.
A lack of HPV vaccination
In his approach to freedom of speech Arthur Sadoun also wishes to raise awareness among the general public about vaccination against the papillomavirus. A vaccination for which France is late. According to the League against cancer, the vaccination coverage against the papillomavirus was in 2020 “estimated at 41% for one dose at age 15 and 33% for the full regimen at age 16″.
According to Eric Caumes, “ the increasing frequency of HPV-related cancers, particularly oral cancers, should lead to increased vaccination coverage with current vaccines“. According to the Vaccination info service site, the papillomavirus vaccine has been recommended since 2007 for all young girls between the ages of 11 and 14 and since 2021 for all boys, with possible catch-up until the age of 19.