HPV Vaccination May Reduce Cancer Risk in Males as Well, Reports Research
Japan: Approximately one in five males older than 15 years is infected with a high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) type. Researchers have found in a large retrospective cohort study that males aged 9 to 26 years who received the 9-valent HPV vaccine had a lower risk of HPV-related cancers compared to unvaccinated individuals. These findings support a sex-neutral approach to HPV vaccination to effectively reduce cancer risk.
The study, published in JAMA Oncology by Taito Kitano and colleagues from the Nara Prefecture General Medical Center, Japan, adds to the growing body of evidence highlighting the benefits of HPV vaccination in males. While HPV vaccination programs have traditionally focused on females, the research highlights the importance of extending vaccination strategies to include males for broader cancer prevention.
For this purpose, the researchers conducted a large multicenter retrospective cohort study using a global database. The analysis included males aged 9 to 26 years who either received at least one dose of the 9-valent HPV vaccine between January 2016 and December 2024 or remained unvaccinated. Participants were followed for up to 10 years to assess long-term cancer outcomes.
The primary endpoint was the occurrence of HPV-related cancers, including cancers of the head and neck, esophagus, anus, and penis. To ensure comparability between groups, the investigators used propensity score matching, resulting in two well-balanced cohorts of over 510,000 individuals each.
The researchers reported the following findings:
- The study included over 615,000 vaccinated males with a mean age of 13.4 years and more than 2.2 million unvaccinated males with a mean age of 17.2 years before matching.
- After propensity score matching, both groups were similar in size and baseline characteristics.
- Vaccinated males showed a significantly lower risk of HPV-related cancers compared to unvaccinated individuals.
- The 9-valent HPV vaccine was associated with a 46% reduction in the risk of developing HPV-related cancers.
- The protective effect of vaccination was consistent across different age groups.
- Boys aged 9 to 14 years demonstrated a significantly reduced incidence of HPV-related cancers following vaccination.
- Young men aged 15 to 26 years also showed a significantly lower incidence of these cancers after vaccination.
These results highlight that the benefits of the 9-valent HPV vaccine extend beyond females and are equally relevant for males. Given the substantial burden of HPV-associated cancers across both sexes, the study provides strong support for implementing gender-neutral vaccination policies.
The authors emphasize that expanding HPV vaccination coverage among males could play a critical role in reducing the overall incidence of HPV-related cancers. They suggest that public health strategies should consider broader vaccine uptake in boys and young men to maximize population-level protection.
Overall, the study reinforces the role of HPV vaccination as an effective preventive measure against multiple cancers and supports a shift toward inclusive vaccination approaches that target both males and females.
Reference:
Kitano T, Yoshida S. Nine-Valent Human Papillomavirus Vaccination and Related Cancers in Males. JAMA Oncol. Published online April 09, 2026. doi:10.1001/jamaoncol.2026.0496
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