HPV Vaccine Can Protect Men Against at Least 3 Types of Cancer

The human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine provides protection for men against several types of cancer, including penile cancer, anal cancer, and cancer of the back of the throat, known as the oropharynx. Reporting from O Globo indicates that the vaccine can protect men against at least three types of cancer.

HPV is the most common sexually transmitted infection in the United States and is spread through intimate skin-to-skin contact. According to the Cleveland Clinic, approximately 80% of sexually active people will be infected with HPV at some point in their lives. While healthy immune systems often fight off the virus, some infections persist and can progress to cancer later in life.

In the United States, HPV is responsible for about 36,000 cases of cancer annually in both men, and women. Beyond the cancers affecting men, the virus is also linked to cervical, vaginal, and vulvar cancers in women, as well as genital warts.

Vaccine Composition and Protection

Gardasil-9 (9vHPV) is the vaccine currently distributed in the United States. This vaccine protects against nine specific types of HPV: 6, 11, 16, 18, 31, 33, 45, 52, and 58. All HPV vaccines protect against types 16 and 18, which are the strains that cause the majority of HPV-related cancers.

Previously, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) licensed the quadrivalent vaccine (Gardasil, 4vHPV) and the bivalent vaccine (Cervarix, 2vHPV). Gardasil 9 was approved by the FDA for use in 2014. Before its licensure, the safety of Gardasil 9 was studied in clinical trials involving more than 15,000 participants.

The vaccine works by providing the body with a safe way to build immune system awareness of specific HPV strains. To achieve maximum effectiveness, the vaccine series should be completed before a person is exposed to the virus.

Recommended Vaccination Schedules

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that children ages 11–12 years receive two doses of the HPV vaccine, administered 6 to 12 months apart. Vaccination can begin as early as age 9.

The number of doses required depends on the age at which the series is started:

• People who receive their first dose before their 15th birthday only require two doses.
• People ages 15–26 who start the series later require three doses, administered over a period of six months.
• Individuals between the ages of 9 and 26 with weakened immune systems should receive three doses.

If children between 9 and 14 years old receive two doses of the vaccine less than five months apart, a third dose is required. The Cleveland Clinic notes that the HPV vaccine is recommended for people up to age 45.

Safety and Public Health Impact

Since the introduction of the HPV vaccine in 2006, safety monitoring and studies conducted by the FDA, CDC, and other organizations have documented a reassuring safety record. The vaccine is designed to provide lasting protection against the infections that most commonly lead to cancer.

Because HPV is so prevalent among sexually active individuals, vaccination is viewed as an essential tool for cancer prevention. By targeting the virus before exposure, the vaccine reduces the likelihood of persistent infections that can lead to malignancies of the genitals and throat.