HPV vaccine can reduce risk of multiple cancers in men, new study suggests [Video]

Nearly two decades after the launch of the first HPV vaccine, mounting evidence shows that people who got vaccinated are dramatically less likely to develop HPV-related cancers in adulthood.

HPV is a common viral infection that causes an estimated 690,000 cases of cancer every year across the globe, according to researchers from the World Health Organization. The virus infects specific tissues, predisposing patients to develop cancers – including cervical, anal, and head and neck cancer.

First approved in 2006, the HPV vaccine was initially marketed to young women as prevention for cervical cancer. It has since been updated to protect against additional HPV strains and is now recommended for boys as well, to reduce the risk of anal and head and neck cancers. The vaccine is currently recommended for children aged 11 or 12, unvaccinated adults until age 26 and can be recommended by clinicians up to age 45.

Now, experts are …