Frank Lane, a father from the UK, shared that even his friends were taken aback by the unexpected diagnosis
Warning: This article includes details about cancer, which could be upsetting for some readers.
A father of two was left 'surprised' when doctors revealed that his throat cancer had been caused by performing oral sex.
Frank Lane, who lives in Hampshire, UK, first noticed something unusual on his neck in November 2023.
He discovered a firm lump, about the size of an egg, on the right side of his neck that felt hard to the touch.
"I was having a shave, felt my neck and thought 'that feels a bit hard'," Frank shared as he described the first time he noticed the change. "It was just a slight swelling."
At first, he assumed it might have been the result of swollen glands, possibly triggered by a strenuous workout at the gym. But after two weeks went by and there was no improvement, the 60-year-old decided it was time to see his doctor.
"When the doctor looked in my mouth she could actually see it sticking out of the top of my tonsils, it was the size of a boiled egg," he added, describing how the lump had become visibly noticeable.
"I was very tired but I just thought it was down to work and not getting enough sleep. I was also waking up to go to the toilet three or four times a night, but I put that down to getting older. "
After his doctor visit, Frank underwent a biopsy procedure. Just 10 days later, he received a life-changing diagnosis — he had throat cancer.
Reflecting on the moment he was given the diagnosis, Frank shared: "When they said I had throat cancer, I thought he was talking a load of rubbish for a split second because I'd stopped smoking 10 years ago."
"I remember thinking, 'what the hell are you talking about throat cancer?'"
During a deeper conversation with his doctor, Frank was told that the cancer was believed to be caused by human papillomavirus (HPV), which he had likely contracted through oral sex.
HPV is a virus commonly associated with changes in cervical cells that can lead to cervical cancer. However, it's now believed the virus can also affect the cells in the throat in a similar way.
Frank said the news really caught him off guard, especially when the doctor explained the possible cause: "[When he said] you've got throat cancer from oral sex, it was a surprise. Some of the guys I've told at work laughed, not because I had cancer but because of how it came about."
"They said I was talking a load of rubbish, I told them to Google it and I saw the colour drain from their faces."
Frank explained that, according to the doctors, the virus had likely been in his system for around 40 years. That would place the original infection when he was about 20 years old, during the time he was serving in the army.
He recalled: "I was having fun, but I wasn't messing about with loads of different girls."
After being diagnosed, Frank went through two full rounds of chemotherapy. That was followed by six weeks of intensive radiotherapy treatment.
"I was in the army for 12 years and that [radiotherapy] was the most painful thing I've ever experienced in my life," Frank admitted, describing how difficult the experience truly was.
Thankfully, the treatment was effective. Frank is now cancer-free and currently goes for checkups every two months to stay on top of his health. He's become an advocate for awareness, encouraging others to pay attention to any strange symptoms and to act quickly if something doesn’t feel right.
With a laugh, he joked: "My advice would be don't have oral sex."
On a more serious note, he added this important reminder: "For anyone who can't follow that, my advice would be if you have any unusual symptoms don't ignore them, get it checked out."