In a recent session of the Lok Sabha, Prataprap Jadhav, Minister of State for Health, shared that 4.71 crore women have been screened for cervical cancer in India, according to the National Non-Communicable Disease (NCD) portal.
It is common knowledge now that the most significant risk factor for cervical cancer is the Human Papillomavirus (HPV). While the fervour with which HPV awareness, screening, and prevention have been propagated in the country in the last few years is commendable, it is undeniable that the efforts have been largely focused towards women.
Maybe this is because the main highlight of the HPV conversation in India relates to its ability to cause cervical cancer. However, HPV equally affects men as well. To understand how HPV manifests in men, the Onlymyhealth team spoke to Dr Vimee Bindra, SRC Accredited Endometriosis Specialist, Robotic and Laparoscopic Gynaecologist, MBBS, MS, FICOG, MHA.
How HPV Causes Cancer?
HPV is a sexually transmitted virus that in quite a few cases is harmless. However, according to the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH), around 50% of HPV infections can eventually turn into cancer.
Dr Bindra said, “In most cases, HPV acquired through sexual activity is harmless, does not cause any symptoms, and eventually disappears on its own. But persistent HPV infections can cause cellular changes that turn into cancer.”
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Explaining how HPV causes cancer, Dr Bindra said, “Wherever the HPV infection affects our body, there it starts altering the nucleus of the cells. These changes are initially pre-cancerous, But slowly, if you do not take proper precautions, the changes turn into cancerous cells in 8-15 years.”
Hence, HPV is not just a risk factor for cervical cancer, because it causes changes in the nucleus of the cells that come in contact with HPV.
How Does HPV Affect Men?
“Men are prominently responsible for transmitting HPV to women because men are usually asymptomatic and their chances of getting HPV-related cancers are less,” said Dr Bindra.
MDH states that more than 90% of sexually active men will be infected with HPV at least once in their lifetime, as compared to 80% of sexually active women.
What men need to know is that HPV doesn’t just cause cervical cancer. According to the National Cancer Institute, over 90% of anal cancers, 70% of throat cancers, and 63% of penile cancers are caused by HPV.
“Out of all types of cancers HPV causes, 83% of the cases are of cervical cancer. The remaining 17% is made up of the cancers which can affect men equally, and vaginal and vulvar cancer.”
HPV Symptoms And Prevention In Men
“HPV infections are sometimes completely asymptomatic,” said Dr Bindra. However, there can be some signs of an HPV infection in men:
- Benign lesions, irregular growths, or warts
- Excessive penile discharge
- Bleeding after intercourse
- Excessive foul-smelling white discharge
Dr Bindra listed a few measures that can help prevent the spread or complications of HPV in men:
- Throat, anal, and penile cancers can be prevented by vaccinating men against HPV.
- It is crucial to use condoms. Condoms may not be 100% protective but they can reduce the spread to some extent.
- Routine HPV sampling to detect an infection of high-risk HPV.
- Be educated about the early signs and symptoms of HPV and associated cancers.
Dr Bindra concluded that HPV behaves similarly in both men and women. However, the focus of the Indian government is more on women when it comes to HPV because a huge share of the cancers caused by HPV is assumed by cervical cancer. But, HPV can be equally lethal for men, who are the prime carriers of HPV infection. That is why routine testing is equally important for men and deserves a heightened focus and awareness.