AN STI that’s more common in men than women is driving a rise in cancers, scientists have warned.
The human papillomavirus – known as HPV – is often associated with the risk of cervical cancer in women.
Certain strains of HPV have been associated with cancers, especially cervical cancer[/caption]
A vaccine to protect against the STI is offered to both boys and girls[/caption]
But the group of viruses is actually more common in men and is fuelling rising rates of cancers that directly impact men – including penile cancer, as well as some types of head and neck cancer and anal cancer.
A survey conducted by The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center (OSUCCC) found that many people assume that HPV was more common in women and knew little about how the infection is spread and its long term cancer risk.
Dr Electra Paskett, a cancer control researcher at OSUCCC, warned this lack of knowledge leaves people vulnerable to developing preventable cancers.
“This is concerning because more men are infected with HPV than women and they could unknowingly spread it to their partners,” she said.
HPV is spread through close skin-to-skin contact, vaginal, anal or oral sex and sharing sex toys.
Most people will get some form of HPV in their life and for many, an infection won’t cause any problems or symptoms.
But sometimes the virus can cause painless growths or lumps around your vagina, penis or anus – known as genital warts.
And in some cases, high risk strains of HPV will cause abnormal changes to cells that eventually turn into cancer.
Dangerous strains of the common virus can cause:
- Cervical cancer
- Anal cancer
- Penile cancer
- Vulval cancer
- Vaginal cancer
- Some types of head and neck cancer
Researchers found that nearly half of the 1,0005 people responding to their survey – 45 per cent – didn’t know that HPV was linked to cancers other than cervical.
While the virus is primary risk factor for cervical cancer, it’s also linked to rising rates of cancers that affect the tonsils, base of tongue, throat, neck, oesophagus, anus and genitals, the study team noted.
Another 42 per cent of respondents assumed that HPV is more common in women – when in fact, the virus is actually more common in men.
Researchers said people tend to assume that are there as the cervical screening programme aiming to pick up cell changes caused by HPV only applies to women.
A further 40 per cent of respondent believed that they’d have symptoms if they were infected with HPV.
In fact, many people don’t have symptoms from the virus until they develop cancer.
Head and neck surgeon Dr Matthew Old raised the alarm over rapidly rising rates of HPV-related head and neck cancers which affect the tonsils and tongue.
He said that if this trend continues, they could quickly be among the most common forms of cancer in adults between the ages of 45 and 65.
Recent estimates suggest that head and neck cancer may become one of the top three cancers among middle-aged men in the United States by 2045, and the most common form of cancer among elderly men in the next 10 years.
As for the UK, a report published last year showed a 47 per cent rise in head and neck cancer diagnoses between 2013 and 2020.
How to spot HPV
HPV will often cause no discernible symptoms.
Many people won’t know they’ve had it unless they develop genital warts, or cancer years later.
There’s no blood test for HPV, but the virus may be spotted during a cervical screening, which involves a small sample of cells being taken from the cervix and tested for HPV.
Screening is offered to all women and people with a cervix from the age of 25 to 64 to help protect them against cervical cancer.
If you’re within this age bracket, you’ll get a letter in the post from the NHS inviting you to make an appointment.
How to protect yourself against HPV
A jab that protects from the virus is offered to both boys and girls aged 12 to 13, with catch-up vaccines offered to people who missed it.
But the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) recently warned that over a quarter of eligible pupils are missing out on the life-saving jab each year.
Dr Paskett said: “We have a vaccine that has been shown to reduce the risk of HPV infection by up to 90 per cent.
“This is a powerful tool for cancer prevention that has only been available to us in the past few decades, and we are seeing the impact of those vaccines now through the scientific data.”
Dr Old added: “It can take years or even decades for the genetic changes caused by HPV to take effect and transform into cancer.
“Once exposed, there are currently no treatments for HPV infections, and many who are unvaccinated unknowingly carry and spread high-risk strains of the virus.
“That’s why vaccination is so important.”
Practicing safe sex with condoms and dental dams can also help protect against HPV – though they won’t cover all the skin around the genitals so can’t offer full protection.
Everything you need to know about the HPV vaccine
The HPV vaccine protects against some of the risky HPV types that can lead to genital warts and cancer.
Gardasil has been the HPV vaccine used in the NHS vaccination programme since 2012. It is protective against nine types of HPV.
For example it is effective against types 16 and 18 which cause around 80 per cent of cervical cancers in the UK.
That’s why it is important for people who have a cervix to still get a smear test when invited by the NHS.
Cervical cancer takes the lives of 854 people a year currently – but this is expected to continue decreasing thanks to the vaccine.
There are around 3,200 new cases of the devastating cancer a year, with peak incidence in women in their early 30s.
But the HPV vaccine doesn’t just prevent cervical cancer – it stops some anal, genital (vaginal and penile), mouth and throat (head and neck) cancers.
These affect both men and women.
Who should take it?
The first dose of the HPV vaccine is routinely offered to girls and boys aged 12 and 13 in school Year 8.
The second dose is offered 6 to 24 months after the 1st dose.
If a school child misses their doses, you can speak to the
school jab team or GP surgery to book as soon as possible.
Anyone who missed their jab can get it up to their 25th birthday.
But people who have the first dose of the HPV vaccine at 15 years of age or above will need to have three doses of the vaccine because they do not respond as well to two doses as younger people do.
The HPV vaccine used to only be given to girls who are at risk of cervical cancer when they are older.
But in 2018, it was announced that boys – who can get HPV-related cancers of the head, nech, anal and genitals – would also be given a jab.
Girls indirectly protect boys against HPV related cancers and genital warts because girls will not pass HPV on to them.
But the programme was extended to further eliminate risk of the virus spreading in the future.
Men who have sex with men (gay and bisexual) do not benefit from this indirect protection, and so are also able to get the HPV vaccine up to the age of 45.
Some transgender people can also get the vaccine.
Those assigned female at birth would have gotten one as a child. But those assigned male at birth could get a jab if they transition to female and have sex with men.
