Human papillomavirus infection in men is quite common; however, most infections with this virus have no symptoms.
Some cases may present genital warts and others develop various types of cancer, such as cancer of the penis, anus, mouth and throat.
Advertisements
What is the human papillomavirus (HPV)?
The human papillomavirus is a group of viruses that affect the skin and mucous membranes of the human body.
There are more than 100 types of papillomavirus, of which about 40 types can be transmitted through sexual contact.
Infection with the human papillomavirus (HPV) is very common. Most sexually active people will have HPV at some point in their life.
These viruses can infect the genital areas of men, including the skin of the penis or anus and the parts around it.
They can also infect the mouth and throat.
How do men get the human papillomavirus?
The human papillomavirus (HPV) is transmitted by genital contact, most often through vaginal or anal sex. It can also be transmitted during oral sex.
The presence of the papilloma virus has also been demonstrated in men who have NOT started an active sexual life. In these cases, contamination with the virus occurs through hand-genital and genital-genital contact without penetration.
Advertisements
Since HPV usually does not cause symptoms, most men and women can acquire the virus and pass it on to their partners without knowing it.
A person can have HPV even if it has been years since they had a sexual relationship.
Even men who have had only one sexual partner in their entire lives can get HPV.
Frequency of Papillomavirus Infection in Men
In various studies that have been carried out, the frequency of infection in men varies between 30% in men between 18 and 22 years old and 60% among older men (58 and 59 years old).
In general, the frequency of infection increases with age, with the group most infected by this virus being older men.
The risk of having a human papillomavirus infection is twice as high in older men compared to the frequency of infection in younger men.
What are the health problems that Human Papillomavirus (HPV) causes in men?
Most men with human papillomavirus (HPV) do not have any symptoms.
However, some types of HPV can cause genital warts, precancerous lesions, and various types of cancer.
Advertisements
Genital warts
Advertisements
The genital warts are one or multiple fleshy growths that appear in the genital area. They can be cauliflower-shaped, raised, or flat.
In men, genital warts can appear around the anus or on the penis, scrotum (skin that covers the testicles), groin, or on the thighs.
Warts can also develop on the mouth, tonsils, tongue, and lips.
Even men who have never had anal sex can develop warts around the anus.
Warts can appear weeks or months after sexual contact with the infected person.
On the other hand a person can have the type of human papillomavirus that causes genital warts and never develop any warts.
For this reason, not always the two members of a couple who have sexual contact and are infected with the human papillomavirus develop genital warts.
Squamous intraepithelial neoplasia or carcinoma in situ of the penis
Intraepithelial neoplasia of the penis refers to abnormal changes in the cells, called carcinoma in situ, a very early stage of cancer in which tumor cells have not yet invaded the surrounding tissues and that occur on the surface of the skin of the penis. penis.
There are two forms of presentation:
- Intraepithelial neoplasia of the penis on the glans (head of the penis) or foreskin of the penis is also called erythroplasia of Queyrat.
- Intraepithelial neoplasia of the penis on the shaft of the penis is also called Bowen’s disease.
Read: Squamous Intraepithelial Neoplasia of the Penis
Cancer
Other health problems caused by human papillomavirus in men include various types of cancer such as cancer of the penis, anus, or the oropharyngeal cavity (back of the throat, including the base of the tongue and tonsils).
The types of papilloma viruses that can cause genital warts are not the same as those that cause cancer.
What is the relationship between human papillomavirus and penile and anal cancer?
Some types of HPV have been linked to anal and penile cancer in men.
These types of cancer are rare especially in men with healthy immune systems.
The types of HPV that cause genital warts are not the same types that can cause anal or penile cancer.
How common is papillomavirus and associated conditions in men?
- As mentioned above, papillomavirus infection in men is very common, affecting 30% of young men and up to 60% of men in their 60s.
- About 1% of sexually active men will have genital warts at some point.
- Cancers of the penis, anus, and oropharyngeal cavity are rare, and only a subset of these cancers are actually related to HPV.
Is there any type of test to detect papillomavirus infection in men?
There is currently no recommended Papillomavirus (HPV) test for men.
The only authorized HPV tests are for the detection of cervical cancer in women.
These tests are not used to detect HPV-related cancers or genital warts in men.
Advertisements
- Anal cancer screening is not usually recommended for men. This is because more research is required to determine if they can actually prevent anal cancer. However, some experts recommend that gay, bisexual, and HIV-positive men get screened for anal cancer (anal Pap smears) each year, since anal cancer is more common in these men.
- There is no approved test to detect genital warts in men or women. However, most of the time, genital warts can be seen and the diagnosis is made by examining the lesions. If you think you have genital warts, you should see a doctor.
- There is no test to see if men have HPV approved by the US FDA.
- There are no screening tests available for penile cancer. In the case of a lesion suspected of penile cancer, a biopsy of the lesion should be performed.
You can be examined to look for abnormalities in the penis, testicles, or around the anus.
Check with your doctor if you find warts, blisters, sores, ulcerations, white patches, or other abnormal areas on the penis, even if they don’t hurt.
Is there a test that detects types of cancer related to the papilloma virus in men?
There are no approved tests to detect early evidence of HPV-related cancer in men, as there are for women ( Pap Test or HPV Viral DNA Test ).
However, since anal cancer is more common in gay, bisexual, and HIV-positive men , some experts recommend that these populations get regular anal Pap tests.
The anal Pap test is used to find abnormal cells in the anus (caused by HPV) that may turn into cancer over time.
However, it is still not certain that the process of finding and removing abnormal cells from the anus will be effective in preventing the development of anal cancer in the future.
In summary:
- Anal cancer screening is not usually recommended for men. This is because more research is required to determine if they can actually prevent anal cancer. However, some experts recommend that gay, bisexual, and HIV-positive men get screened for anal cancer (anal Pap smears) each year, since anal cancer is more common in these men.
- There is no approved test to detect genital warts in men or women. However, most of the time, genital warts can be seen. If you think you have genital warts, you should see a doctor.
- There is no test to know if men have HPV. HPV usually goes away on its own, without causing health problems. In such a way that if an HPV infection is detected today, it is most likely that within one or two years it will be gone.
- There are no screening tests available for penile cancer.
