5 facts to help you prevent HPV-related cancer

Editor's note: February is National Cancer Prevention Month.

By Nicole Brudos Ferrara

There are more than 100 varieties of the human papillomavirus, commonly called HPV. Transmitted through skin-to-skin contact, several HPV strains cause warts — growths on the skin or mucous membrane. However, some strains of HPV can cause cancer of the cervix, vulva, vagina, anus, penis, and parts of the head and neck.

About 13 million people are infected with HPV each year. "By age 50 in the U.S., the typical person has been infected at least once by one of these cancer-causing strains of HPV. Most infections go away in a few years. During that time, however, one can spread the infection to others. Some infections persist and cause changes to the body's cells that lead to cancer," says Robert M. Jacobson, M.D., a pediatrician with the Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Center.

HPV infection causes about 37,800 cancers each year. Treatment for HPV-related cancers can be painful and have long-lasting side effects. The HPV vaccine can help prevent these cancers.

Here's what you should know to protect yourself and your children from HPV-related cancer:

1. Children should be vaccinated for HPV before being exposed.

The HPV vaccine helps prevent anal, cervical, penile, vaginal, vulvar, head and neck cancers, related precancers and genital warts by causing your immune system to produce antibodies that protect it from the virus. "While the cancers develop in adulthood, HPV exposure most commonly occurs in late adolescence or early adulthood, often with the first sexual contacts," says Dr. Jacobson.

Once a person gets HPV, the vaccine may not be as effective. Research shows that the HPV vaccine is most effective at younger ages. "Studies out of Sweden and England show that for children who got it in early adolescence, it is remarkably more effective than if given in late adolescence or early adulthood," says Dr. Jacobson.

The HPV vaccine includes two doses and is approved for children starting at age nine. The second dose should be given six to 12 months after the first dose.  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends HPV vaccination for everyone ages 11 or 12 through 26.

Mayo Clinic recommends starting the vaccine at age nine. "The immune system is strong at age nine, so children have a wonderful response to the vaccine. We only need two doses to achieve antibody levels for life," says Dr. Jacobson. "When you start at nine, you can vaccinate at the well-child visits at nine and 10. Having raised four teenagers, I know that as a teen gets older, their life gets busier and pulling them out of their activities to get a vaccine gets harder and harder. So do it now."

2. The HPV vaccine is safe and necessary.

More than 42 million Americans are infected with HPV types that are known to cause disease. For people with at least one opposite-sex partner, the estimated average lifetime probability of acquiring HPV is 84.6% for women and 91.3% for men, according to one study. "As human beings, we're all at risk for HPV infection from sexual encounters," says Dr. Jacobson.

Side effects of the HPV vaccine tend to be mild overall. "The most common reaction to the vaccine is pain and tenderness at the injection site. Sometimes fainting or dizziness," says Dr. Jacobson.

The HPV vaccine was first introduced in the U.S. in 2006. "Mayo has been using it since then, and it has a great track record, not just here in the United States, but worldwide. It's proven safe, it's proven effective and it's proven to be needed. Every child should get this vaccine as soon as they are eligible," says Dr. Jacobson.

3. Research shows that the HPV vaccine effectively prevents HPV-related precancer and cancer.

Nearly 200,000 people are diagnosed with cervical precancer, also called dysplasia, every year in the U.S. Others are diagnosed with precancers of the anus, head and neck, penis, vagina and vulva. To prevent these precancers from developing into cancer, doctors often remove precancerous tissue. This can have life-changing consequences.

Studies have shown that HPV vaccines effectively prevent HPV infection of the cervix, anus and oral region of the body and greatly reduce the risk of precancers and cancers of the cervix, vagina and vulva.

"Those vaccinated, even after being exposed to HPV or having HPV illness, show significantly less recurrence of HPV precancers," says Kristin Butler, M.D., a Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Center gynecologic oncologist. "Reducing precancer reduces cancer formation."

Dr. Butler points to a study, shared at the 2024 American Society of Clinical Oncology, that had 1.7 million participants. Its findings showed significantly fewer HPV-related cancers overall in people who had been vaccinated compared to those not vaccinated. "The odds of getting HPV cancer were 29–54% lower for those vaccinated compared to those unvaccinated. That’s a huge reduction," she says.

4. Adults who didn't receive or complete the HPV vaccine as children may still be eligible up to age 45.

If you are 45 years old or younger and you weren't vaccinated for HPV, ask your doctor if the HPV vaccine is right for you. "Adults up to age 45 are eligible for vaccination for cancer risk reduction," says Dr. Butler. "Some women older than 45 are also eligible for vaccination if they have experienced cervical precancer."

If you started the HPV vaccine series and didn't complete it, you may still be able to finish it. "We routinely do catch-up vaccination through age 26," says Dr. Jacobson. "If you started the vaccination series before you turned 27, we finish it. We also consider it for adults ages 27 through 45 on a case-by-case basis."

Even if you've already tested positive for HPV or have been diagnosed with dysplasia or a precancer, you may still be eligible for the HPV vaccine. "You may only have one of the seven strains we're vaccinating against, which means that the vaccine may prevent an infection to which you haven't yet been exposed," says Dr. Jacobson.

5. No matter your age, protect your health by getting regular checkups and cancer screenings.

No matter your age or your HPV vaccination status, it's essential to establish a relationship with a healthcare professional and get regular wellness checks and preventive screenings.

"Part of the preventive maintenance of a human body is to get your regular checkups and screenings. Make sure you get cervical cancer screenings when they're recommended so if a pre-cancer lesion develops, it can be addressed before it becomes cancer," says Dr. Jacobson.

Preventive maintenance should also include regular visits to the dentist, advises Dr. Jacobson. "Don't be upset when your dentist says they will perform an exam for oral cancers. That’s not a gimmick — it's a lifesaving preventive practice. It increases our chances of catching HPV head and neck cancer early once we reach adulthood."

Finally, make sure you and your family get the recommended vaccinations. "All of us should be up to date on our HPV vaccination. And we must make sure every one of our children is protected as early as possible," says Dr. Jacobson. If your child is 9 years old and their healthcare professional hasn't recommended the HPV vaccine, ask them about it.

Learn more

Learn more about HPV, the HPV vaccine and HPV-related cancer, including anal, cervical, penile, vulvar, vaginal and head and neck cancer.

Find a clinical trial at Mayo Clinic.

Join the Cancer Support Group on Mayo Clinic Connect, an online community moderated by Mayo Clinic for patients and caregivers.

Also, read these articles:

• The link between HPV and throat cancer
• HPV-related head and neck cancer treatment is improving, but prevention is best
• Your toolkit for reducing cervical cancer risk