Just wanted to aggregate all the information on the HPV vaccination into a single thread for people to be able to find and review it more easily. Seems relevant for people (male or female) of all ages.
One of the big headlines from a major scientific meeting recently: The HPV vaccine not only prevents cervical cancer but reduces the risk of multiple other cancers and even pre-malignant lesions.
Researchers reported that they followed 1.7 million females and males who received the HPV vaccine between 2010 and 2023 as either children or young adults.
It was already known that the HPV vaccine can potentially prevent more than 90 percent of HPV-related cancers in women — most often cervical cancer — and now scientists discovered a 50-percent risk reduction in all HPV-associated cancers in men, including head and neck cancers.
Data from the latest groundbreaking study at the American Society of Clinical Oncology annual meeting was the first to show a significant benefit for men to prevent oropharyngeal cancer (throat, tonsils, back of the tongue) for which there is no screening.
A nationwide goal is to have 80 percent of teens vaccinated against HPV by 2030. Currently, however, in the U.S., just below 63 percent of adolescents ages 13 to 17 are up to date on this vaccine. New York state is slightly higher at 69 percent.
HPV vaccine stops 90% of cervical cancer cases
Gem Sofianos, 36 and from London, found out that she had cervical cancer in 2015 after attending cervical screening. HPV vaccines were not available when she was a teen.
She said: “If I had been offered the vaccine when I was younger, I wouldn’t have hesitated to take it up. My younger sister was given the HPV vaccine in the first rollout at school. It gives me comfort knowing that she and others are protected against HPV, and therefore less likely to develop cervical cancer.”
Gem was treated early and is now cancer-free but she still attends regular screening.
“I still suffer from the aftermath of my diagnosis, and I hope one day we live in a world where cervical cancer is eliminated," she said.
The study, funded by Cancer Research UK and led by experts at Queen Mary University of London, shows the HPV vaccine combined with cervical screening can dramatically reduce cervical cancer incidence to the point where almost no-one develops it.
More cases were prevented in the most deprived socio-economic groups in society - those often hit hardest by the disease.
Researchers said this was great news.
Prof Peter Sasieni, lead author of the work that is published in the British Medical Journal, said: "Our research highlights the power of HPV vaccination to benefit people across all social groups.
The new evidence from the US, Brazil, and Mexico suggests a preventable infection is contributing to that surge.
Among 3,137 healthy men, aged 18 to 70, researchers found the risk of acquiring a new, cancer-causing strain of HPV “did not differ by age”. In other words, men were susceptible to the infection throughout their lifetime, not just in their youth.
HPV can be sexually transmitted, and while not all strains of the virus cause cancer, strains HPV-16 and HPV-18 are present in up to 90 percent of HPV-associated oral cancer cases.
The bad news is that young males are receiving the HPV vaccine at much lower rates than young females, which could explain why oropharyngeal cancers are continuing to rise, even while cervical cancer cases plummet.
A friend of a friend just got this type of nasopharyngeal cancer. He’s a young lad in his 20s. He’s had to have part of his vocal chords removed and now sounds like a 50 year old chain-smoker. The cancer still isn’t completely treated.
Several factors are probably behind this increase in mouth cancer cases. Changing lifestyle habits, particularly those related to known risk factors, play a significant role.
Tobacco use, including smoking and chewing tobacco, remains a primary cause, with around two-thirds of cases directly linked to smoking. Excessive alcohol consumption is another major contributor, responsible for about one-third of all mouth cancers.
Additionally, the human papillomavirus (HPV) has emerged as an increasingly important risk factor, particularly for oropharyngeal cancers, a type of mouth cancer affecting the throat. Oral HPV is thought to mainly spread through oral sex.
I got the HPV vaccine this year after specifically requesting it from my PCP. Even though I’m too old to qualify for it, it still could reduce my risk of cancer so I figured I had nothing to lose! My doc agreed and my insurance even paid for it.
I can share my findings, but just bear in mind I’m not a cancer specialist at all
Based on my reading, 70-80% of adults have been exposed to HPV during their early romantic encounters. Many people will have a short-term (asymptomatic) acute infection which they clear, but some will pick up a chronic infection which increases cancer risk. I don’t think there’s any harm in getting vaccinated later in life, but it won’t clear an existing HPV infection. If you’re monogamous, you won’t have any new HPV exposures. I also didn’t find any “other” benefits (like how singles vaccines seem to reduce dementia risk).
What’s fascinating is how sneaky the HPV virus is. It infects cells which are relatively shielded from the immune system and it doesn’t spread in the blood (thus, doesn’t trigger a strong immune response). But the vaccine produces a strong response and gives you antibodies which basically intercept the virus before it can establish an infection.
For HepB, I don’t see any downsides in getting vaccinated at any age. I think all healthcare workers are vaccinated against HepB. It can be spread by blood contact, household contact etc.
First I’m a moron… I’ve been confusing hpv with hsv …I even had the hsv lab done,*bangs head against the wall.
If you had hpv but it cleared (meaning you don’t have breakouts and might not even know if you’ve had it) does that mean it can’t cause cancer? Perplexity just agreed with that theory, but I’m asking because it’s wrong half the time, so…
Also, @RPS , I should clarify that my question to my doc was only about HPV and not HBV (I had the hbv vax pre-travel)
I am not totally sure, sorry. As far as I understand, if you were injected with HPV and then successfully cleared it, then it isn’t a chronic infection and doesn’t affect your cancer risk. Hopefully somebody who knows for sure can chip in with a better answer.
A physician coworker of mine recommended I get the HPV vaccine because even if I’ve already been exposed to HPV, the vaccine may help to prevent malignant transformation (i.e. development of cancer) in exposed areas. This is an inference from the fact that women getting the vaccine after being treated for pre-cancerous lesions or actual cervical cancer had a lower risk of recurrence in both cases. If the immune response from the infection/cancer itself had already “maxxed out”, then getting the vaccine would be expected to do nothing, when clearly it does.
I’d do just about anything to prevent something as awful as throat cancer, so a vaccine with minimal risk of side effects was a no-brainer for me. My PCP agreed to give it, and oddly enough my insurance even paid for it even though I was 53 years old. On top of that, there’s a recent study showing that just one shot without any boosters may work just as well as the current recommendation which is a total of 2 or 3 shots.
The issue is “how” to get it? I don’t think it’s even provided to people over a certain age.
So I searched on Gemini and this is what it tells me:
In the United States, the HPV vaccine (specifically Gardasil 9 ) is FDA-approved and available for individuals between the ages of 9 and 45 .1
While the vaccine is approved for this broad range, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provides specific recommendations based on the age at which an individual begins the series.2
Vaccination Age Groups and Recommendations
Age Group
CDC Recommendation Status
Typical Dosing Schedule
9–12 years
Routine / Preferred
1 dose (as of Jan 2026 update)*
13–26 years
Catch-up
3 doses (if starting at 15+)
27–45 years
Clinical Decision-Making
3 doses
Note: As of January 2026, the CDC has updated its guidelines to recommend a single dose for children aged 11–12 (and as young as 9) to align with recent clinical data and international standards.3 Previously, a two-dose series was required for this age group.
Key Population Details
Routine Vaccination (Ages 9–12): The primary goal is to vaccinate children before they are exposed to the virus.4 Clinical data indicates that the immune response is most robust in this age group.
Catch-up Vaccination (Ages 13–26):6 For those who were not adequately vaccinated as preteens, the CDC recommends “catch-up” shots.7 If the series begins at age 15 or older, a three-dose schedule (0, 1–2, and 6 months) is required.
Adults (Ages 27–45): While the vaccine is FDA-approved for this group, it is not routinely recommended for everyone.9 Instead, the CDC suggests shared clinical decision-making. This means adults should discuss their specific risk of new HPV infections with a healthcare provider, as many in this age range have already been exposed to some HPV types.
Immunocompromised Individuals: Regardless of the age they start (within the 9–26 range), immunocompromised persons are still generally recommended to receive a three-dose series to ensure adequate protection.11
Clinical Considerations
The vaccine is prophylactic, not therapeutic.12 It is designed to prevent new infections from the 9 high-risk HPV types covered by the vaccine (13 6, 11, 16, 18, 31, 33, 45, 52, and 14 58) but cannot treat an existing infection or clear HPV-related lesions.
I just had to ask and say I’m aware of risks of side effects from the vaccine and that I’m willing to pay out of pocket. My PCP is pretty conservative but still agreed.
Early and long-term effects of prophylactic and post-excision human papillomavirus vaccination on recurrent high-grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasia relative to margin status: a retrospective cohort study in the Czech Republic
