July 3, 2009 | Health Matters

Men could benefit from HPV vaccine

Gardasil is currently being used as a powerful vaccine for women, helping protect them from certain strains of the cervical cancer-causing human papilloma-virus (HPV). Research has shown that it can also prevent HPV infections in men.

A study at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) found that the drug was only slightly less effective in preventing HPV infection in men than in women.

“The numbers right now look not quite as good as the girls’ but still very, very good,” says Palefsky. “The vaccine was nearly 100 percent effective [in women] so you obviously can’t do better than that.”

The reason this is good news? HPV is the leading cause of anal cancers in men.

“That’s why we’re optimistic that if boys do get vaccinated with the same vaccine that girls are using, it should prevent a substantial number of anal cancers,” Palefsky added.

HPV is transmitted sexually, with gay men 17 times more likely to develop anal cancer than heterosexual men.

“On a per-individual basis the risk is clearly much higher in MSM than the general population,” says Palefsky. “That’s presumably due to anal sex, though we also know that you don’t have to have anal sex to get anal HPV infection.”

A number of countries, including the U.S. and Canada, are currently looking into approval for use of the drug in men.

HPV vaccine effective in men, suggests new research [Xtra.ca]