Why we need to educate teenagers about HPV and vaccines
Updated / Thursday, 7 Jan 2021
16:00
"For the first time in Ireland, HPV vaccines were offered in 2019 to both all girls and boys in the first year of secondary school". Photo: Joe Raedle/Getty Images
Opinion: such a programme would reduce HPV-associated cancers and help teenagers protect their future health
As a population, we are generally aware of the strong association between Human Papillomavirus (HPV) and cervical cancer, but did you know that HPV causes up to 70% of oropharyngeal cancers in developed countries? Remarkably, these cancers, which occur in the throat, are increasing rapidly in western countries and occur mostly in men rather than women. HPV is also strongly associated with various other cancers including cancers of the mouth, vagina, vulva, anus and penis.