HPV vaccination and the risk of cancer in males

The efficacy and effectiveness of the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine in reducing the risk of invasive cervical cancer in females and head and neck cancer (HNC) in males have been demonstrated. However, the relationship between HPV vaccination in males and the subsequent risk of other potentially HPV-associated cancers are lacking.

We used the TriNetX United States Collaborative Network to conduct a retrospective cohort study. Males aged 9 to 45 years who did or did not receive the HPV vaccine between 2006 and 2024 were included. We assessed the association between HPV vaccination and the risk of cancer, carcinoma in situ, and precancerous lesions at: penis, anus, head and neck cancer (HNC), lungs, esophagus, stomach, prostate, colorectum.

Males with HPV vaccination (n = 397,856) have lower hazard ratio (HR) for HNC. Some other potentially HPV-associated cancers also have lower HR in HPV-vaccinated males, including lung cancer, prostate cancer, and colorectal cancer. Vaccinated males were less likely to develop some precancerous lesions of anus, head and neck, esophagus, and stomach.

Among males ages 9 to 45, HPV vaccination significantly reduces the risk of certain cancers and precancerous lesions. Further studies are needed to evaluate the protective mechanisms of HPV vaccination against various cancers.