SINGAPORE. New research indicates that HPV vaccines are effective in preventing cancers in men as well as women. Despite this, fewer boys than girls are receiving the vaccine in the United States.
Initially developed to prevent cervical cancer in women, the HPV vaccine has been credited, alongside regular screenings, with significantly lowering cervical cancer rates. Evidence of its effectiveness in preventing HPV-related cancers in men has been slower to emerge. However, the latest research suggests that vaccinated men experience lower rates of mouth and throat cancers compared to those who did not receive the vaccine. These types of cancers are more than twice as prevalent in men than in women.
The study analyzed data from 3.4 million individuals of similar ages, divided equally between vaccinated and unvaccinated groups. As anticipated, vaccinated women showed a reduced risk of developing cervical cancer within at least five years of receiving the vaccine. Notably, vaccinated men also exhibited a lower risk of developing any HPV-related cancers, including those of the anus, penis, mouth, and throat.
“We think the maximum benefit from the vaccine will actually happen in the next two or three decades,” said Dr. Joseph Curry, a co-author of the study and a head and neck surgeon at the Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center in Philadelphia. “What we’re showing here is an early wave of effect.”
The results of this study, along with another, were released Thursday by the American Society of Clinical Oncology and will be discussed at its annual meeting in Chicago next month. The second study highlights rising vaccination rates but notes that males still lag behind females in receiving the HPV shots.
HPV, or human papillomavirus, is a highly common sexually transmitted infection. Most HPV infections cause no symptoms and resolve without treatment, but some can progress to cancer. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports approximately 37,000 cases of HPV-related cancers annually in the U.S.
Since 2006, the HPV vaccine has been recommended for girls at ages 11 or 12, and since 2011, the same recommendation has applied to boys. Catch-up vaccinations are advised for anyone up to age 26 who has not been vaccinated.
In the second study, researchers examined self- and parent-reported HPV vaccination rates in preteens and young adults using a large government survey. From 2011 to 2020, vaccination rates increased from 38% to 49% among females and from 8% to 36% among males.
“HPV vaccine uptake among young males increased by more than fourfold over the last decade, though vaccination rates among young males still fall behind females,” noted Dr. Danh Nguyen, co-author of the study and a researcher at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas.
Jasmin Tiro of the University of Chicago Medicine Comprehensive Cancer Center, who was not involved in the research, emphasized the importance of vaccination for both boys and girls. “Parents of boys, as well as girls, should know that HPV vaccines lower cancer risk,” she said. She also highlighted that young men who have not been vaccinated can still receive the shots. “It’s really important that teenagers get exposed to the vaccine before they’re exposed to the virus,” Tiro added.
Si Venus L Peñaflor ay naging editor-in-chief ng Newsworld, isang lokal na pahayagan ng Laguna. Publisher din siya ng Daystar Gazette at Tutubi News Magazine. Siya ay isa ring pintor at doll face designer ng Ninay Dolls, ang unang Manikang Pilipino. Kasali siya sa DesignCrowd sa rank na #305 sa 640,000 graphic designers sa buong daigdig. Kasama din siya sa unang Local TV Broadcast sa Laguna na Beyond Manila. Aktibong kasapi siya ng San Pablo Jaycees Senate bilang isang JCI Senator.
