Tom Murphy
RedwoodAge.com

The sexual liberation of the 1960s triggered a rise in cancers that has been afflicting boomers ever since, according to a study in England.

Researchers at King's College London reported that as many as three out of four boomers will be infected with the human papilloma virus, or HPV, during their lifetimes as a result of unprotected sex.

The virus is best known for its frequent association with cervical cancer in women. However, the study, published in the British Journal of Cancer, links the virus to a wide range of cancers, including anal, vulval, vaginal and penile. And it may be linked to other diseases as well, according to the researchers.

"These results have revealed a snapshot of just how much rates of these cancers have increased in the post war generations," said Dr. David Robinson, who led the research. "For anal cancer, rates are now higher in women than in men - however, programs of vaccination against HPV, whilst aimed primarily at reducing the burden of cervical cancer, may also help to reduce the incidence of cancers at these other sites."

About 20 million Americans are infected with HPV, with about 6.2 million new cases annualy, according to the Centers for Disease Control. Four out of five women are likely to contract HPV by the age of 50. Prevention efforts vary from state to state, but generally have been gaining in efficacy in recent years.

While the immune system usually can kill the virus, a persistent infection can lead to cancer. In the US, there's been a massive program to vaccinate teen-age girls against HPV and some health officials now say boys should also be vaccinated. Using a condom during sex can also reduce the spread of the virus.

“It’s important for people to know that the HPV virus can be passed through all forms of intimate sexual contact. Using a condom will lower the risk of exposure to the virus," said Dr. Lesley Walker, director of information for Cancer Research UK. "HPV vaccines are an important advance for future generations, but the cervical screening program remains vitally important in detecting any changes that might lead to cancer."

Relying on a cancer database, the researchers noted a rapid rise in these cancers among men and women born in the 1950s and 1960s. Women born in the '60s have triple the risk of women born two decades earlier.

Rates of vaginal and vulval cancer are higher among women of the 1960sBoomers were born between 1946 and 1964.