HPV Vaccination for Men who Have Sex With Men

 

HPV Vaccination and Why I Recommend it to Nearly all Patients 

 

 

Human Papilloma Viruses known collectively by the title HPV are responsible for a large percentage of rectal, penile, and head/neck cancers. Men who have Sex with Men (MSM’s), especially those that are HIV positive are at increased risk for becoming infected with strains of HPV and therefore have increased risk for these types of cancers. The nano-valent HPV vaccine is a safe and effective way of preventing the likelihood of acquiring 9 strains of HPV including some of the types most likely to cause cancer in addition to some of those that cause visible genital warts. Up until recently it was thought that it probably wasn’t worth vaccinating older MSM’s as they probably would already have acquired HPV and the ability of the vaccine to eliminate a strain of HPV once it has already been acquired is not known. Additionally, they weren't sure if the immune system of older persons would respond to the vaccine. Now it is known that it is unlikely that anyone has acquired all 9 strains of HPV the vaccine protects against, that even if you have a strain of HPV infecting at one site (for example your rectum) the vaccine my protect you from acquiring that strain at a second site (for example your penis). In addition, it is possible although not proven that having the vaccine may help your immune system try to eliminate the virus from an already infected site. Additionally, it was discovered that up to the age of 45 there is some significant level of response. It's possible some people even older than 45 may respond we don't know. What does all this mean? If you are a man that has sex with men, you are at increased risk for rectal, penile and head/neck cancers from HPV infection. It means if you are an MSM and under the age of 45 you should consider getting the HPV nano-valent vaccine if you haven’t gotten it already (even if you’ve already gotten the quadrivalent HPV vaccine) as it will likely decrease your risk of penile, rectal, and head/neck cancers. The vaccine may not eliminate strains of HPV you already have but you are unlikely to have all the strains the vaccine protects against. The sooner you get the vaccine the more likely you are to have an effective response and the less likely you will be to have new strains of HPV that the vaccine might protect you from. Insurance may or may not cover the vaccine for you-ask your healthcare provider for more information or contact us at Tom of P-Town Health. 

 

 

 

 

References:

 

·  The Lancet Oncology, "HPV-Associated Cancers in HIV-Infected Individuals," 2020.

·  Vaccine, "HPV Vaccine Effectiveness by Age at Vaccination," 2019.

·  Scientific Reports, "HPV Vaccine Efficacy and Safety in HIV-Infected Individuals," 2021.

·  The Journal of Infectious Diseases, "HPV-Associated Anal and Cervical Cancers in HIV-Infected Individuals," 2020.

·  Sexually Transmitted Infections, "HPV Vaccination in MSM," 2019.

·  Clinical Infectious Diseases, "Risk of Anal Cancer in HIV-Infected and HIV-Uninfected Individuals," 2012.

·  BMC Medicine, "Efficacy, Effectiveness, and Safety of Vaccination Against Human Papillomavirus in Males," 2018.

·  The Journal of Infectious Diseases, "Prevalence, Incidence, and Clearance of Anal High-Risk Human Papillomavirus in HIV-Infected Men Who Have Sex with Men," 2018.

·  Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology, "Impact of HIV on HPV-Related Cancers in Men Who Have Sex with Men," 2024.

·  Human Vaccines & Immunotherapeutics, "Learnings from Long-Term Follow-Up of Quadrivalent HPV Vaccine," 2023.