Ishita Roy

The Unusual Case Of Throat Cancer, Could It Be Caused By HPV?

throat cancer by hpv

Throat Cancer by HPV

For more than a year, Arthur L Kimbrough, 76, reports The Washington Post, experienced a stabbing pain from his throat to his neck and shoulder. While he did consult numerous specialists, including anesthesiologists, ENT, neurologists and neurosurgeons. He also underwent multiple tests and tried various medications, but nothing seemed to work and the source of his pain remained a mystery. It was only in February 2022 when he discovered what he had been suffering from was a massive hemorrhage. 

Today, he thanks the doctors to come out of this. "Doctors missed some things clearly, but it was not because they were not looking," said Kimbrough, who is an executive coach and a business owner. 

<h4>The story of an unusual sore throat</h4>

Kimbrough’s symptoms began in December 2020, with a tender spot under the left side of his tongue. But, it was not like a typical sore throat, there was no pain when he was swallowing, his family doctor too found no inflammation. This is why he as referred to an ENT. Since, he had been a heavy smoker, <span>throat <a href="https://www.healthandme.com/health/cancer">cancer</a></span> was always a concern. However, this too was ruled out by the ENT. Other concerns of salivary gland infection or jaw-related issues like temporomandibular joint dysfunction (TMJ) also came to doctor's mind, but no definitive diagnoses emerged. This went on for 14 months.

For the next one year, he explored various possibilities, started from X-rays for age-related arthritis to months of chiropractic treatments. He also tried nerve blocks, MRIs, acupuncture, and cervical collar, but nothing seemed to work. It was now mid-2021, and the pain had only intensified. It had now spread from his ear to eye socket and was impacting his sleep and quality of life too. It started to feel like all his efforts went in vain as no one was able to pinpoint the actual problem.

A pivotal moment came when his ENT suggested trigeminal neuralgia (TN), a nerve-related condition, and prescribed medication for it. Unfortunately, this worsened his pain.

It was now early 2022, and Kimbrough's health was deteriorating significantly. By then, he had lost over 20 pounds, could not eat and relied mostly on doses of painkillers. While a CT scan in the month of December did reveal an asymmetry in the left tonsil, there was no mass, which is why it remained a mystery. 

But in February, when after a neurological exam at the Johns Hopkins Hospital noticed that his tongue deviated at the left, his case was restudied to see if there was a nerve pressure or a mass. However, even before a test could be scheduled Kimbrough experienced a catastrophic hemorrhage in the hospital waiting room. 

<h4>Stage 3, HPV-Related Throat <span rel="noindex">Cancer</span></h4>

An emergency operation revealed a six-centimeter growth spanning from the top of his mouth to the back of his tongue. The tumor, which was eventually confirmed as Stage 3 squamous cell carcinoma caused by HPV-16, had become entwined with a nerve and irritated an artery, causing the bleeding.

HPV is a common virus spread via sexual contact, which can cause cervical and throat cancer. Most infections clear on their own, however high-risk types like HPV-16 are connected with severe cases. The most common kind of head and neck cancer in the United States is HPV-related throat cancer, which is usually treatable if detected early.

Back to Kimbrough, after emergency procedures, he underwent chemoradiation therapy. There were initial warnings that the would always require a feeding tube, but soon after, he regained his ability to eat soft foods and liquids within months. 

Today, he is cancer-free and uses his experience to raise awareness about HPV and its vaccine.

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For more than a year, Arthur L Kimbrough, 76, reports The Washington Post, experienced a stabbing pain from his throat to his neck and shoulder. While he did consult numerous specialists, including anesthesiologists, ENT, neurologists and neurosurgeons. He also underwent multiple tests and tried various medications, but nothing seemed to work and the source of his pain remained a mystery. It was only in February 2022 when he discovered what he had been suffering from was a massive hemorrhage. Today, he thanks the doctors to come out of this. "Doctors missed some things clearly, but it was not because they were not looking," said Kimbrough, who is an executive coach and a business owner. The story of an unusual sore throatKimbrough’s symptoms began in December 2020, with a tender spot under the left side of his tongue. But, it was not like a typical sore throat, there was no pain when he was swallowing, his family doctor too found no inflammation. This is why he as referred to an ENT. Since, he had been a heavy smoker, throat cancer was always a concern. However, this too was ruled out by the ENT. Other concerns of salivary gland infection or jaw-related issues like temporomandibular joint dysfunction (TMJ) also came to doctor's mind, but no definitive diagnoses emerged. This went on for 14 months.A long journey of misdiagnosesFor the next one year, he explored various possibilities, started from X-rays for age-related arthritis to months of chiropractic treatments. He also tried nerve blocks, MRIs, acupuncture, and cervical collar, but nothing seemed to work. It was now mid-2021, and the pain had only intensified. It had now spread from his ear to eye socket and was impacting his sleep and quality of life too. It started to feel like all his efforts went in vain as no one was able to pinpoint the actual problem.A pivotal moment came when his ENT suggested trigeminal neuralgia (TN), a nerve-related condition, and prescribed medication for it. Unfortunately, this worsened his pain.The Final DiagnosisIt was now early 2022, and Kimbrough's health was deteriorating significantly. By then, he had lost over 20 pounds, could not eat and relied mostly on doses of painkillers. While a CT scan in the month of December did reveal an asymmetry in the left tonsil, there was no mass, which is why it remained a mystery. But in February, when after a neurological exam at the Johns Hopkins Hospital noticed that his tongue deviated at the left, his case was restudied to see if there was a nerve pressure or a mass. However, even before a test could be scheduled Kimbrough experienced a catastrophic hemorrhage in the hospital waiting room. Stage 3, HPV-Related Throat CancerAn emergency operation revealed a six-centimeter growth spanning from the top of his mouth to the back of his tongue. The tumor, which was eventually confirmed as Stage 3 squamous cell carcinoma caused by HPV-16, had become entwined with a nerve and irritated an artery, causing the bleeding.What is HPV?HPV is a common virus spread via sexual contact, which can cause cervical and throat cancer. Most infections clear on their own, however high-risk types like HPV-16 are connected with severe cases. The most common kind of head and neck cancer in the United States is HPV-related throat cancer, which is usually treatable if detected early.Back to Kimbrough, after emergency procedures, he underwent chemoradiation therapy. There were initial warnings that the would always require a feeding tube, but soon after, he regained his ability to eat soft foods and liquids within months. Today, he is cancer-free and uses his experience to raise awareness about HPV and its vaccine.