VOLUME 14 NUMBER 1 (January to June 2021)

Rene Tadle*^1,2, John Rey Macindo^3,4, Custer Deocaris^5,6, and Pia Marie Albano^7,8

¹Department of Philosophy, Faculty of Arts and Letters,
      University of Santo Tomas, España, Manila, Philippines
²Research Center for Culture, Arts, and Humanities,
      University of Santo Tomas, España, Manila, Philippines
³Faculty of Management and Development Studies,
      University of the Philippines - Open University,
      Los Baños, Laguna, Philippines
⁴Nursing Service Office, AMOSUP Seamen’s Hospital,
      Cabildo corner San Jose Street, Intramuros,
      Manila, Philippines
⁵Biomedical Research Section,
      Philippine Nuclear Research Institute,
      Department of Science and Technology (DOST-PNRI),
      Commonwealth Avenue, Diliman, Quezon City
⁶Technological Institute of the Philippines,
      Cubao, Aurora Blvd, Quezon City, Philippines
⁷Department of Biological Sciences, College of Science,
      University of Santo Tomas, España, Manila, Philippines
⁸Research Center for the Natural and Applied Sciences,
      University of Santo Tomas, España, Manila, Philippines

Among the risk factors for HPV-driven head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) are the higher number of oral-sex or oral-anal sex partners. Thus, in the light of the etiology of HPV-driven HNSCC arising from oral sex, we propose the protective role played by a religious view of sex - one that is purely for procreation within the marital bond and not simply for bodily pleasures. To test our hypothesis, the relationship among the levels of religiosity, the engagement in oral sex, and the development of HPV-driven HNSCC shall be determined using regression-based analyses. It is vital to validate this hypothesis in the Philippines, which may also apply to other countries with a similar cultural pattern. Given permissive trends, it stands to reason that oral sex, being part of the youth's standard sexual script, may drive the rise of HPV-driven HNSCC in the years to come. Since the engagement in oral sex among adolescents is not without health risk, raising awareness on oral sex as a public and medical health issue is vital. Our recommendations include urgent discussions among policymakers, clinicians, and the public on promoting vaccination of young adults, male or female, against HPV before sexual debut. Further, the Catholic Church should ensure that the sex education programs it offers to the youth must integrate the moral and spiritual aspects of the sexual act with contentious issues on sexuality including the danger and consequences of sexual behaviors such as oral sex.