Two headlines caught my eye not too long ago:
The connection between power illnesses and variety of sexual companions: an exploratory evaluation
and
Research warns extra intercourse may imply increased probability for most cancers
It might be arduous to consider, however each of those confer with similar medical analysis. I’m unsure which one I like higher. The primary one is the precise title of the analysis, which gives no details about its findings. The second is a newspaper headline. It cuts proper to the chase in regards to the research’s fundamental findings. Whereas it’s far more particular — and alarming — additionally it is deceptive.
Is there a hyperlink between the variety of sexual companions and most cancers?
The research investigating this risk was revealed BMJ Sexual & Reproductive Well being. It enrolled about 2,500 males and three,200 girls who had been 50 or older (common age 64). Every particular person was surveyed in regards to the whole variety of sexual companions they’d had over the course of their lives. This data was in contrast with plenty of medical situations they’d developed, together with most cancers, coronary heart illness, and stroke.
The research demonstrated that
- Males who reported 10 or extra sexual companions of their life had been almost 70% extra more likely to have developed most cancers when put next with these reporting 0 or 1 lifetime sexual companions.
- For girls, the findings had been much more dramatic: girls who reported 10 or extra sexual companions of their life had been almost 91% extra more likely to have developed most cancers when put next with these reporting 0 or 1 lifetime sexual companions.
Males had been extra possible than girls to report having at the very least 10 companions (22% of males vs. 8% of ladies) whereas girls had been extra more likely to have fewer companions (41% of ladies and 28.5% of males reporting having had 0 to 1 companions).
It’s value noting this research was carried out in England with well being data initially collected within the late Nineties. The outcomes might have been completely different if researchers had assessed threat of a special inhabitants or at a special time limit. As well as, self-reporting was relied upon to evaluate sexual conduct, and it’s attainable the reported variety of sexual companions and different well being behaviors weren’t correct.
Does this imply having intercourse results in most cancers?
The reply is nearly certainly no.
That’s as a result of this sort of research can not assess whether or not intercourse causes most cancers. It might solely decide whether or not there’s a correlation between the 2. Additionally, we already know of ways in which sexual conduct can not directly have an effect on most cancers threat with out truly inflicting most cancers, particularly by way of sexually transmitted infections. A few of the strongest connections are for:
- human papilloma virus (HPV), which will increase the chance of cancers of the cervix, mouth, penis, and anus
- human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) an infection, which will increase the chance of cancers similar to Kaposi’s sarcoma and lymphoma
- hepatitis B and hepatitis C an infection, which have been linked to liver most cancers
- gonorrhea, which will increase the chance of prostate most cancers (significantly amongst African American males).
As well as, folks with extra sexual companions tended to smoke extra and drink extra alcohol. These components might, themselves, improve the chance of most cancers. So, sure components — in these circumstances, infections, smoking, and consuming — might have an effect on most cancers threat, relatively than having intercourse or the variety of sexual companions.
Whereas future analysis might discover beforehand unidentified dangers in having the next variety of sexual companions, we already know sufficient to elucidate the connection.
The underside line
Whereas it could be tempting to conclude from this new analysis that limiting the variety of sexual companions you have got will decrease your threat of most cancers, I believe that may be a misinterpretation of the information. The higher take-home message could be to take precautions to keep away from sexually transmitted illnesses and pursue different confirmed methods to decrease your most cancers threat, together with stopping smoking and limiting alcohol.
Comply with me on Twitter @RobShmerling
