Fort Worth—

Dana Wilson is one of an estimated 20- million Americans who have HPV which caused cancer in his tongue and neck.

Dana remembers getting the news after going to the doctor to have a lump in his neck checked.

“It was a moment that you would probably bleep me for saying on air,” Dana said. “It was one of those oh, moments.”

Dr. Jerry Barker is an oncologist at Texas Oncology in Fort Worth and said there is much to be learned about HPV.

A recent study suggested that open mouth kissing could be a way to transmit the virus–but Dr. Barker said one thing is certain.

“There is clearly a distinct correlation between head and neck cancer and the number of oral sexual partners in a patient’s lifetime,” Dr. Barker said. “It’s an epidemic of human papillomavirus worldwide.”

Dr. Barker said the virus is increasing at about 2% to 3% a year–approximately the same rate as head and neck cancers–and today fewer Americans smoke.

“It’s interesting that ten or twenty years ago the majority of men and women who have head and neck cancers had heavy smoking and drinking histories,” Dr. Barker said. “Now it tends of be young, non-smokers that are getting these cancers.

Dana was treated with a combination of radiation and chemotherapy–today he is cancer free and mentors other head and neck cancer patients.

“Was I shocked? Yea,” Dana said. “Because probably like a lot of people my initial reaction was HPV, that’s a sexual cancer that women get, cervical, uterine. I’m a guy.”

A guy willing to spread the news about oral cancer by word of mouth.

“It’s your body, take responsibility for what’s going on with it, don’t ignore signs and symptoms,” Dana said. “I’m cancer free. I’ve been very, very lucky.”