A 60-year-old father of two was stunned to discover that his throat cancer was linked to oral s*x.
Frank Lane first noticed something was wrong in November 2023 while shaving—there was a firm, egg-sized lump on the side of his neck. At first, he brushed it off, thinking it might be due to stress or perhaps a swollen gland from exercise. But when the lump didn’t disappear after two weeks, he decided to see a doctor.
Tests revealed the shocking truth: it was throat cancer. Even more surprising, doctors explained that it was caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV), a sexually transmitted infection. They believe Frank likely contracted it during his time in the army around 40 years ago.
HPV is often harmless and goes away on its own, but in some cases, it can remain dormant for decades before causing health problems, including certain cancers.
Frank underwent a grueling combination of chemotherapy and radiation. The treatments were tough, but he’s now cancer-free—and urging others not to ignore unusual symptoms, no matter how small they may seem.
“I never thought something from my twenties could come back to affect me like this,” he said. “If you notice anything unusual, get it checked out right away. It might save your life.”