Source: UCSF Today
February 29, 2008

HPV Vaccine for Men?

The new vaccine used to prevent sexually transmitted human papillomavirus (HPV) in women and girls could play the same role in men and boys, says UCSF Professor of Medicine Joel Palefsky, MD. Without vaccination, Palefsky adds, "about 75 percent of men and women are going to get an HPV genital infection at some point."

In females, the vaccine, called Gardasil, prevents infection by two HPV strains that are responsible for 70 percent of cervical cancers. The vaccine also prevents infection by two strains that cause 90 percent of genital warts.

In 2006, Gardasil was licensed for use in girls as young as 9. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends vaccination for girls starting at age 11 and for women up to the age of 26.

Merck, the maker of the vaccine, now is conducting a worldwide clinical trial in men and boys ages 16 to 26 with few or no lifetime sexual partners. Most have never been infected. As part of this trial, Palefsky will be studying a subset of males - young men who have had sex, or who expect to have sex, with other men.

Culprit in Cervical, Anal, Oral, Penile Cancers
In men and boys, the vaccine is expected to prevent common penile warts and about half of penile cancers, a rare disease. In addition, the vaccine is expected to prevent oral cancers due to HPV infection, the incidence of which is increasing, especially among men.

HPV infection also is the primary cause of anal cancer. In the United States, anal cancer incidence is increasing among both women and men. HPV infection rates are especially high among HIV-positive men and women, Palefsky notes, and the highest rates of HPV-associated cancers occur among men who have sex with men.

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