For years the public conversation about HPV focused almost entirely on women and cervical cancer. That framing was always incomplete, and it’s become more obviously so as the epidemiology of HPV-associated oropharyngeal (throat) cancer has shifted.
What’s happening
A BBC report drew attention to a finding that would’ve surprised many patients: men are significantly more likely than women to carry oral HPV, and HPV-associated oropharyngeal cancer — throat and tonsil cancer — is rising in men across high-income countries. In some regions, HPV-related oropharyngeal cancer rates in men now rival or exceed HPV-related cervical cancer rates in women.
The virus is spread through sexual contact, including oral sex. Most HPV infections clear on their own, but a subset — particularly high-risk strains like HPV-16 — can persist and, decades later, produce cancer at the site of infection.
Why it matters
Two practical implications:
1. HPV vaccination is important for boys, not just girls. Malaysia’s national HPV vaccination programme has historically focused on adolescent girls for cervical cancer prevention. That’s valuable, but incomplete. The vaccine also substantially reduces the risk of HPV-associated oropharyngeal, anal, and genital cancers in both sexes. Gender-neutral vaccination programmes — increasingly the international standard — protect everyone more effectively.
2. Adults can still benefit. HPV vaccination is most effective when given before sexual debut, typically ages 9–14. But catch-up vaccination into the mid-20s, and even up to age 45 in some guidelines, is recommended for those not previously vaccinated. If you missed it as a teenager, it’s not too late.
The vaccine itself is safe, has been extensively studied, and has dramatically reduced high-risk HPV infections in countries with widespread programmes.
In the clinic
HPV conversations come up frequently in our STD practice — usually around warts, occasionally around Pap smear follow-up. The oropharyngeal cancer angle is less commonly raised but equally important, especially for patients asking what vaccination can actually do.
For parents of adolescents: ask your GP about HPV vaccination for both sons and daughters. For young adults who missed it: it’s worth catching up. For any patient concerned about HPV exposure, oral lesions, or STD screening in general, we can discuss options confidentially.