ASCO 2024: HPV vaccine reduces head and neck cancer risk in men

Results from a recent study show that the HPV vaccine is effective in preventing the development of several HPV-related cancers, most notably reducing the risk of head and neck cancer in male individuals.

Since the introduction of the HPV vaccine in 2006, research on its effectiveness has primarily focused on cervical cancer outcomes in females. However, in a recent study, researchers assessed the risk of developing a broader range of cancers, including head and neck, anal, penile, vulvar, vaginal and cervical cancers, in both HPV-vaccinated men and women. The findings of this study are set to be presented at the 2024 ASCO Annual Meeting (May 31–June 4, IL, USA).

To conduct the study, researchers analyzed data from over 1.7 million HPV-vaccinated individuals and a similar number of age-matched control patients who had not previously been vaccinated against HPV.

The sample was comprised of individuals from the United States, aged 9–39 years old. Of the sample, 56% were female, 53% were White, 21% were Black or African American, 5% were Asian, 0.4% were American Indian or Alaskan Native, 0.4% were Pacific Islander and 21% were of other or unknown race.

Following the analysis of this sample, researchers found that males vaccinated for HPV had a significantly lower risk of developing all HPV-related cancers, with 3.4 cases per 100,000 vaccinated people compared to 7.5 per 100,000 unvaccinated people. Most notably, the risk of developing head and neck cancers was substantially reduced, with only 2.8 cases per 100,000 vaccinated patients versus 6.3 per 100,000 unvaccinated patients.

Glenn J Hanna (Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, MA, USA) spoke on the significance of these results: “We have known the HPV vaccine decreases rates of oral HPV infection, but this study shows that in boys and men in particular, vaccination decreases the risk of HPV-related oropharyngeal head and neck cancers. HPV vaccination is cancer prevention.”

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In keeping with previous research findings, the study found that females vaccinated for HPV had a lower risk of developing cervical cancer, with 7.4 cases per 100,000 vaccinated individuals compared to 10.4 per 100,000 people in the unvaccinated sample. The overall risk of females developing all HPV-related cancers was reduced, with 11.5 cases per 100,000 vaccinated patients versus 15.8 per 100,000 unvaccinated patients.

Interestingly, there was no significant difference in the development of head and neck cancers, as well as vulvar or vaginal cancer, between vaccinated females and those who had not received the vaccine.

Now that the HPV vaccine has been available for nearly two decades, in the next stages of research, investigators can begin to examine outcomes in people older than 39, as well as explore other parameters such as age at time of vaccination and time from vaccination to development of cancer.