Throat cancer warning issued after man developed disease from bedroom activity

A father who thought a lump in his throat was just fatigue from intense gym workouts was stunned to learn it was actually throat cancer, caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV) contracted through oral sex. Frank Lane, 60, from Hampshire spotted a firm swelling the size of an egg on the right side of his neck while shaving last November. Initially, he assumed it was a swollen gland from vigorous exercise and decided to monitor it.

But when it failed to shrink after two weeks, he visited his GP. A closer inspection revealed a mass on his tonsils, leading to a biopsy. Just 10 days later, Frank was given the devastating diagnosis of throat cancer.

Doctors told him HPV was to blame - a claim reminiscent of Hollywood actor Michael Douglas's revelation in 2010 that his own cancer was linked to the virus.

"They said because of the shape of the virus inside my biopsy, they could tell it was from about 40 years ago," Frank said. "I was sexually active at 20, having fun, but not with loads of different girls. When I got told, I thought, 'I'm never doing that again.'"

At first, Frank dismissed the idea it could be cancer, pointing out he had quit smoking a decade earlier. But his consultant's certainty, and a quick Google search, left no room for doubt.

In January 2024, Frank began treatment at Henley Hospital in Oxfordshire. Two initial rounds of chemotherapy failed to shrink the tumour, so doctors recommended an intensive six-week radiotherapy course.

"I was in the army for 12 years, and that [radiotherapy] was the most painful thing I've ever experienced in my life," he recalled.

Now in remission and undergoing check-ups every two months, Frank is urging others to take unusual symptoms seriously. "If you have any unusual lumps or changes, don't ignore them - get them checked," he said, adding with a laugh: "My advice is, don't have oral sex."

HPV is a group of viruses affecting the skin and moist membranes, and is often transmitted during sexual activity, including oral sex. While it's well known for its role in cervical cancer, research increasingly suggests it can also lead to cancers in the throat.