The new research underscores the importance of vaccination for both sexes, experts say.
The HPV vaccine is linked to a drastic reduction in head and neck cancers in adolescent boys and men, new research finds.
HPV, or human papillomavirus, is a sexually transmitted infection responsible for virtually all cases of cervical cancer. But the virus is also linked to a number of other cancers, including penile, anal and vaginal cancers.
It also accounts for the majority — up to 70% — of head and neck cancers, which affect the throat and mouth. Men are about twice as likely to develop these cancers than women, according to the National Cancer Institute.
The HPV vaccine, initially approved for adolescent girls, protects against strains of the virus linked to cervical cancer and has been found to significantly reduce rates of the cancer. But there’s growing evidence that the vaccine also protects against other HPV-related cancers.
This isn’t a drug which has an effect on cancer itself. This is a vaccine that prevents infection by the Human Papilloma Virus. The virus has been mostly known for leading to cervical cancer, (and therefore suffered from the general lack of research on women’s medical issues) but has more recently found to lead to other cancers in areas of the body associated with sexual behaviors, for men as well as women. In other words, it just took awhile for researchers to think about men giving head, but once they looked they found it. So instead of only vaccinating girls, they’re saying boys should be protected as well. Before, they didn’t feel it was worth vaccinating boys/men just so they wouldn’t go around infecting girls/women.
Yes, I’m not anti-vaccine at all (quite the contrary). I was making a statement about how a lot of drug companies are looking for “other uses.” I will absolutely have all my kids get it, regardless of gender.