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HPV Concern For Men: What Do Men Need To Know?

by Jim Diffly
04/24/2008

The Human Papillomavirus infects around 6 million new people each year, and certain strains of the virus can lead to penile or anal cancer in men.

The American Cancer Society estimates that in 2008, there will be 1,250 men diagnosed with penile cancer and 2,020 men with anal cancer.

There are over 100 strains of HPV. HPV is commonly known for causing genital warts, but not all strains cause genital warts or any visible signs, the Mayo Clinic Staff said.

Doctors can detect HPV in women during a cervical cancer screening by taking a DNA cell sample. However, doctors often do not take a cell sample for testing unless there are visible signs, or if the patient has a concern.

For men there is no test for HPV. Only visible warts or lesions can be DNA tested.

The DNA cell sample reveals whether the patient is at high-risk for developing cancer. The test does not reveal the overall status of HPV. There are two types of HPV strains: high-risk, which has a greater chance of leading to cancer, and low-risk.

According to the national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in most cases, there’s no value in testing for the exact type of HPV infection if you have warts or other visible lesions because these types of HPV do not cause cancer.

In 2006 the FDA approved a vaccination called Gardasil which protects against high-risk HPV strains. Currently the vaccine is available to girls and young women, but not men.

“Some doctors have apparently recommended Gardasil for men as an ‘off-label’ use,” Rich Maloof, writer for MSN Health & Fitness, wrote. “By definition, off-label uses are not approved, and there is no evidence Gardasil will be an effective treatment for men.”

A 23-year-old man with the HPV strain that causes genital warts, who wished not to be named because of the embarrassment, said, “If they didn’t have a vaccine for me and I found out I had cancer, my life would be completely over.”

There are studies currently being done to determine whether Gardasil is safe for men, and the FDA will consider licensing the vaccine for use by boys and men if the vaccine proves to be safe, the CDC said.

“I thought I didn’t know anybody with any sort of STD and that me getting one would never happen,” the 23-year-old man said.

According to the CDC’s fact sheet on HPV, approximately 20 million people are already infected with the virus, and 50 percent of sexually active men and women acquire genital HPV infection at some point in their lives. Genital warts affect more people in the US than any other STD.

HPV is not only spread through sexual intercourse. The virus is primarily transferred by skin-to-skin contact, the Mayo Clinic Staff said.

“I don’t know for sure how I got genital warts,” said the 23-year-old man. “Both of my parents have HPV, but I also didn’t always use a condom.”

Passing HPV on to children during childbirth is very rare. It is estimated that less than 2,000 children a year get infected through childbirth, the CDC said.

Condoms may reduce the risk of getting HPV through sexual intercourse, but HPV can affect the areas not covered by the condom, the CDC said.

“If I could go back in time and do my life over again I would ask the women I was sexually interested in to get tested,” the 23-year-old man said.

Asking a sexual partner to get tested for STDs is never a bad idea, but HPV is not always detectable.

Because HPV is so common and often undetected the only sure way to prevent getting infected is by not having sex, the CDC said.

To find a STD clinic call the CDC STD information line at: 1(800)232-4636, or if you are a University of Georgia student you can visit the Health Promotion Resource Room on the second floor of the University Health Center off River Road.

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