[이데일리 이순용 기자] Recently, an increasing number of young men are seeking obstetrics and gynaecology. It is for the HPV vaccination, which is the so-called ‘cervical cancer’ vaccine. HPV (Human Papillomavirus) is known to cause cervical cancer only in women, but the need to prevent HPV is gradually emerging in men as well.
◇ Increase in ‘cervical cancer’ among young people in Korea
The most representative of HPV-related diseases is cervical cancer. Cervical cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer deaths among women aged 15-44 worldwide.
According to the number of cervical cancer patients per year published by the domestic health and medical big data open system, the number of patients increased by 8.5% from 59,910 in 2017 to 65,013 in 2021. What should be noted is that the number of patients relatively young cervical cancer in their 30s and 40s increasing to 35.9%.
◇ HPV vaccination is the only way to prevent HPV
Fortunately, HPV can be prevented by vaccination. HPV infection was found in 99.7% of cervical cancer patients, and unlike other cancers, the cause was clearly identified.
HPV vaccines currently available in hospitals are bivalent, tetravalent, and 9valent. In 2016, 10 years after the first HPV vaccine was introduced in Korea in 2006, a 9-valent vaccine was released that can prevent most types of HPV. This 9-valent vaccine covers a total of nine types of HPV, including types 6 and 11 that cause genital warts and types 16, 18, 52, and 58 that can develop into cancer among HPV vaccines. The range of cancer prevention, such as genital warts, cervical cancer, rectal cancer, vaginal cancer, and vulvar cancer, is also wide at 90%. In 2020, the vaccination age for the 9-valent vaccine has been extended to women aged 45, so women can be vaccinated between the ages of 9-45 and men between the ages of 9-26.
◇ Both men and women need HPV vaccination
Recently, the need for HPV vaccination in men has come to light. There are still many questions about why men who do not have a ‘uterus’ need to get the HPV vaccine. However, HPV vaccination for men is not only beneficial for men’s health management, it is also very beneficial for both men and women.
According to the global cervical cancer eradication plan published by the World Health Organization (WHO), most types of HPV, including HPV type 16, can be eliminated within 30 years when the HPV vaccination rate for men and women reaches 75%.
In addition to herd immunity, male HPV disease must be prevented. Genital warts, the most common HPV disease in men, has tripled in the past decade. In particular, the incidence rate was high among young men (aged 25-29) who were relatively sexually active. The reason the HPV vaccine is an important alternative for men is that the average natural antibody production rate against HPV types 6, 11, 16, and 18 in men is low at 7.7%. This means there is no way to prevent HPV infection without vaccination.
◇ HPV vaccination available at a nearby medical institution regardless of sexual experience
If you have had sexual experience, some people hesitate to get vaccinated because of the myth that the HPV vaccine is ineffective, but vaccination makes sense anyway. It is true that the best time to get vaccinated is before sexual experience, but even if you have already been infected with HPV through sexual experience, you can prevent other types of viruses that cause HPV infections. There is no reason to hesitate about vaccines as the saying goes, ‘the quickest time to think it’s too late’. In a situation where the cause of cancer is still unknown, HPV vaccination alone is a major advantage in preventing HPV, which causes 5% of all cancers.
