HPV infection that causes cervical cancer
600,000 cases worldwide, 5% of all cancers
HPV (Human Papilloma Virus), which causes cervical cancer, can cause cancer and diseases in other parts of the body as well as cervical cancer, so experts recommend that men also need vaccination.
According to the Gyeonggi-do branch of the Korea Health Care Association, HPV is common in both men and women, and there are more than 200 types.
Of these, more than 40 are transmitted through direct sexual contact, so both men and women can become infected.
HPV infection is usually asymptomatic and goes away on its own.
However, persistent infection causes diseases such as head and neck cancer, anal cancer, and genital warts in men and cervical cancer, vaginal cancer, and vulvar cancer in women.
HPV infection is known to cause more than 600,000 cancers annually worldwide, accounting for regarding 5.2% of all cancers.
The male natural antibody production rate is as low as 7.7%
Genital warts tripled in 10 years
35% increase in head and neck cancer incidence in Korea
◇HPV doesn’t just cause cervical cancer
A lot of questions are raised regarding why men without a ‘womb’ need to get the HPV vaccine. However, HPV also causes disease in men, so vaccination is beneficial for men’s health management.
Genital warts, the most common HPV disease in men, have tripled in the past decade.
In particular, a high incidence rate was seen in young males (25 to 29 years old) who were relatively sexually active. The reason why HPV vaccine is an important alternative for men is that the average rate of natural antibody production once morest HPV types 6, 11, 16, and 18 in men is low at 7.7%. Because of this, it is difficult to prevent HPV infection without vaccination.
In the United States, the incidence of oropharyngeal cancer, a type of head and neck cancer (cancer that occurs in the face, nose, neck, mouth, larynx, pharynx, salivary gland, thyroid, etc.) in 2015, is known to be the most common HPV-related cancer, ahead of cervical cancer.
In addition, more attention is needed as oropharyngeal cancer (cancer that occurs in the root of the tongue, tonsil, etc.) is increasing in men in recent years.
According to statistics from related academic societies, the incidence of head and neck cancer in Korea increased by 35% between 2010 and 2019.
In addition, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced that when both men and women are vaccinated and the inoculation rate reaches 75%, most HPV types, including HPV 16, can be eradicated within 30 years.
9-valent vaccine, female 45, male up to 26 years of age
If you have sexual experience, there is no effect ‘nonsense’
Prevent different types of viruses
◇ HPV, can be prevented by vaccination.
HPV can be prevented through vaccination.
Currently, the types of HPV vaccines that can be inoculated in hospitals are bivalent, quadrivalent, and 9valent vaccines, and 9valent vaccines can prevent the most types of HPV currently available.
The 9-valent vaccine can prevent diseases caused by a total of nine types of HPV, including types 6 and 11 that cause genital warts and types 16, 18, 52, and 58 that can develop into cancer.
The range of cancer prevention, such as genital warts, cervical cancer, anal cancer, vaginal cancer, and vulvar cancer, is also wide at 90% through vaccination.
In 2020, the vaccination age for the 9-valent vaccine has been expanded to 45-year-old women, so women can be vaccinated from 9 to 45 years old and men from 9 to 26 years old.
In the case of cervical cancer, HPV infection was found in 99.7% of patients, and unlike other cancers, the cause has been clearly identified and can be prevented through vaccination.
It is also a myth that the HPV vaccine is not effective if you are sexually active.
Vaccination is effective regardless of sexual experience.
It is true that vaccination before the start of sexual experience is the best time, but even if you have already been infected with HPV through sexual experience, you can prevent other types of viruses that cause HPV infectious diseases.
An official from the Gyeonggi-do branch of the Korea Health Care Association said, “In a situation where the cause of cancer is still unknown, it is a great advantage to prevent HPV, which causes 5% of all cancers, with HPV vaccination alone.” “We ask that young men in their 20s also be vaccinated once morest HPV to prevent HPV.”
Reporter Ahn Hyeong-cheol
