HPV in men: what global evidence shows

Human papillomavirus (HPV) also infects men. A 2023 global study in The Lancet Global Health found that about 1 in 3 men worldwide has been infected with at least one HPV type, and 1 in 5 with a high-risk oncogenic type. Most infections cause no symptoms and are cleared by the immune system within two years.

The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC-WHO) estimated that approximately 69,400 cancer cases in men worldwide in 2018 were attributable to HPV.

HPV-associated cancers in men

• Anal cancer: about 90% of cases are attributable to HPV.
• Penile cancer: about 60% of cases are attributable to HPV.
• Oropharyngeal cancer (base of tongue and tonsils): the HPV-attributable fraction varies considerably by region. It can reach 60–70% in the United States and Northern Europe, while the global average is closer to 20%. Tobacco and alcohol also contribute.
• Oral cavity and laryngeal cancer: the HPV-attributable fraction is low—under 4–5%—unlike in the oropharynx.

HPV16 is the genotype most frequently associated with these cancers in men.

A common infection throughout life

Genital HPV infection is most prevalent among men aged 25–29 and remains common after age 50. This differs from women, whose prevalence tends to fall more quickly after sexual debut.

WHO has noted that the risk of anal, oral and penile cancers associated with high-risk HPV supports prevention strategies for men as well as women.

Prevention: vaccination also protects men

HPV vaccination is highly effective in men and helps prevent both genital warts and HPV-associated cancers. To learn how screening and follow-up work for people with a cervix, read HPV and cervical cancer: what the evidence says today.

HPV types, warts and household transmission

HPV is a family of more than 150 genotypes. Cutaneous types such as HPV2 and HPV4 cause common hand and foot warts. Mucosal types include low-risk HPV6 and HPV11, which cause genital warts, and high-risk HPV16 and HPV18.

Direct skin contact with a visible wart can spread low-risk cutaneous or mucosal types within a household, including through self-inoculation. This risk is not zero, but it generally involves low-risk types rather than cancer-associated types.

Documented transmission to young children occurs mainly from mother to baby during vaginal birth with mucosal types, and through direct contact with cutaneous warts on a caregiver's hands. The role of shared objects and surfaces remains under study.

Evidence sources

• The Lancet Global Health (2023): genital HPV prevalence in men.
• International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC-WHO): HPV-attributable cancers in men.
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): HPV and associated cancers in men.
• World Health Organization (WHO): HPV prevention and vaccination.

This article provides general educational information and does not replace an individual medical assessment.