Cancers caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV) affect both men and women in large numbers, but prevention efforts initially focused on women, reports CIDRP News.
Now, a retrospective cohort study has added more weight to the suggestion that vaccinating boys and young men with the nine-valent (nine-strain) HPV vaccine can slash their risk of related cancers, supporting the case for sex-neutral vaccination programmes.
HPV vaccination has long been framed as a way to prevent cervical cancer in women, but the virus also causes a range of cancers that affect men, including head and neck, anal and penile cancers. In this study, published in JAMA Oncology, researchers from the Nara Prefecture General Medical Centre in Japan looked at large-scale population data to evaluate the effectiveness of the nine-valent HPV vaccine in preventing these cancers in men.
Greatest benefit when given to older teens, young men
By examining health data from 510 260 vaccinated males and the same number of unvaccinated males aged nine to 26 over as many as 10 years of follow-up, the researchers found that having had at least one dose of the vaccine was linked to a significantly lower risk of related cancers.
Overall, vaccinated boys and men had about half the risk of HPV-related cancers than their unvaccinated peers (hazard ratio [HR], 0.54). Protection was consistent across both age-groups – males vaccinated from nine to 14 years old had a 42% lower risk (HR, 0.58), and those vaccinated from 15 to 26 had a 50% lower risk (HR, 0.50).
The authors note that most previous research on the link between HPV vaccination in men and HPV-related cancers has focused on adults, who may have been previously exposed to HPV, potentially reducing the observed effect. The current findings suggest that vaccination confers benefits for men when administered later in adolescence or young adulthood.
Jab should be available ‘irrespective of sex’
The findings have important implications for vaccination policies. HPV vaccination programmes have focused mainly on women because of the link between HPV and cervical cancers.
“Currently, many countries still implement HPV vaccination only for females,” write the researchers, noting that males account for approximately 10% to 15% of the vaccinated cohort outside the United States. (In 2024, approximately 77% of boys aged 13 to 17 in the US had received one or more doses of the HPV shot.) “Our study provides evidence that HPV vaccination should be accessible irrespective of sex.”
The study has several limitations, including misclassified or unconfirmed diagnoses due to reliance on standardised medical diagnosis codes, vaccination outside participating healthcare systems, and an inability to adjust for high-risk sexual behaviours.
Still, the findings add to a growing body of evidence that the benefits of HPV vaccination extend beyond preventing cervical cancer in women. “Our study indicates that 9v-HPV vaccines should be administered not only to females but also to young males,” conclude the researchers.
Study details
Nine-Valent Human Papillomavirus Vaccination and Related Cancers in Males
Taito Kitano, Sayaka Yoshida.
Published in JAMA Oncology on 9 April 2026
Abstract
Importance
The disease burden of human papillomavirus (HPV)–related cancers is substantial, irrespective of sex. Establishing evidence on the effectiveness of the 9-valent HPV vaccine for males may support the implementation of sex-neutral HPV vaccination strategies.
Objective
To evaluate the incidence of HPV-related cancers between 9-valent HPV-vaccinated and unvaccinated males using a large-scale database.
Design, Setting, and Participants
This multicentre retrospective cohort study utilised a global database. Participants included males aged nine to 26 who were either unvaccinated or received at least one 9-valent HPV vaccine between January 2016 and December 2024 with outcomes followed-up for up to 10 years.
Main Outcomes and Measures
The primary composite outcomes were HPV-related cancers, including head and neck, oesophageal, anal, and penile cancers. Hazard ratios (HRs) were estimated using propensity score matching.
Results
Before propensity score matching, 615 155 vaccinated males (mean [SD] age, 13.4 [3.5] years) and 2 290 623 unvaccinated males (mean [SD] age, 17.2 [5.5] years) were identified in the US. After propensity score matching, 510 260 participants were included in each group. Compared with those in the unvaccinated group, those in the vaccinated group had a lower risk of the primary composite outcome (HR, 0.54; 95% CI, 0.37-0.81; P = .002). Subgroup analysis demonstrated that the significantly lower incidence of the primary composite outcome in the vaccinated group was maintained among both males aged 9 to 14 years (HR, 0.58; 95% CI, 0.34-0.97; P = .04) and those aged 15 to 26 years (HR, 0.50; 95% CI, 0.27-0.93; P = .03).
Conclusions and Relevance
This study found a significant negative association of the 9-valent HPV vaccine with HPV-related cancers in adolescents and young adult males and contributes to the development of sex-neutral HPV vaccination.
See more from MedicalBrief archives:
HPV jab effective for men against cancer, large analysis finds
Global meta-analysis finds one in five men possibly has cancerous HPV
More proof that one dose of HPV jab as good as two – Costa Rica trial
HPV vaccine shows success in gay and bisexual men — HYPER2 study