HPV-Linked Oropharyngeal Cancer on the Rise in Men: A Growing Health Concern

【Health News】 The incidence of oropharyngeal cancer, such as tonsil cancer, in men has increased due to HPV (human papillomavirus) infection.

As a result of analysis of open data from the Health and Medical Big Data Open System operated by the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service, Representative Park Hee-seung (Democratic Party) of the National Assembly Health and Welfare Committee found that the number of male oropharyngeal cancer patients more than doubled from 611 in 2013 to 1,222 in 2023. Confirmed.

In particular, the number of male patients with tongue cancer (tongue, tongue) and gum cancer is rapidly increasing. The number of male tongue cancer patients nearly doubled from 2,128 in 2013 to 3,915 in 2023, and the number of male gum cancer patients also nearly doubled from 391 in 2013 to 699 in 2023.

HPV infection causes cervical cancer, cervical precancerous lesions, vaginal, vulvar, anal, and head and neck cancers such as the oropharynx, tongue, and tonsils, and various clinical diseases such as genital warts and respiratory papillomas.

Cervical cancer decreased from 27,327 in 2013 to 24,652 in 2022. The reason for the decline is HPV vaccination. Currently, approximately 80% of women under the age of 12 are receiving the HPV vaccine for free.

Representative Park Hee-seung said, “The increase in male patients due to the HPV virus is unusual. “Vaccine support for both men and women, which is implemented in most OECD countries, is a necessity, not an option,” he said.