Over 50% of oropharyngeal cancer cases linked to high-risk HPV: Why men need to know the warning signs
For decades, Human Papillomavirus (HPV) has been framed almost exclusively as a "women's health issue," largely due to its well-established link with cervical cancer. But mounting clinical evidence, including several recent Indian studies, shows that HPV is a significant, and often overlooked, cause of head and neck cancers in both men and women. As awareness of HPV-related cancers grows, it's time to broaden the conversation.
In an exclusive interaction with TheHealthSite.com, Dr. Vinayak Maka, Consultant Medical Oncology, Ramaiah Memorial Hospital, Bengaluru, explained why HPV is not just a women's health concern, explained why HPV is no longer a women's health problem, but a serious one that can affect even the men and invite head and neck cancers.
HPV spreads primarily through skin-to-skin and oral-genital contact, meaning anyone who is sexually active, regardless of gender, can be exposed. While national immunization efforts in India have largely focused on girls to prevent cervical cancer, it is now stressed that men face a substantial and rising burden of HPV-driven cancers of the mouth and throat.
Head and neck cancers, particularly oropharyngeal cancers (affecting the tonsils, base of the tongue, and throat), have historically been linked to tobacco and alcohol use. However, a distinct, HPV-driven subtype is emerging as a major concern.
The most recent Indian research adds further weight to this shifting disease landscape. A December 2025 clinicopathological and molecular study examined 180 oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma patients and found high-risk HPV positivity in 52.2% of cases, one of the highest prevalence rates reported in Indian literature to date. The study also found that HPV-positive patients were typically younger, had significantly lower tobacco exposure, presented with non-keratinizing tumour morphology, and had markedly better two-year progression-free survival (81%) compared to HPV-negative patients (65%), reinforcing that HPV-driven oropharyngeal cancer is a biologically distinct and increasingly relevant subset of head and neck cancer in India .
HPV-related oropharyngeal cancers often present subtly and are frequently mistaken for minor ailments. Most of us have had a scratchy throat that comes and goes with the seasons. But when certain symptoms linger longer than expected, they deserve a closer look rather than a home remedy. Pay attention if you notice:
None of these symptoms automatically mean cancer but if any of them persist, it's worth getting checked rather than waiting it out.
Here's the thing about HPV, it is not a virus that only targets a certain "type" of person. If one ever has been sexually active in any capacity, technically is exposed to some level of risk, whether realized it or not. And it spreads more easily than most people assume.
A few things that can establish the virus:
Intimate contact is the main pathway. Things like oral sex or deep kissing can transmit the virus between partners, it doesn't take much.
HPV's connection to head and neck cancers is real, and it's growing. For too long, the conversation has stopped at cervical cancer, leaving a massive blind spot around how this virus affects men. Closing that gap means a few things need to happen together: getting more boys vaccinated, helping people recognize the early warning signs instead of shrugging them off, and encouraging quicker visits to an ENT specialist when something feels off. None of this requires anything drastic, just a shift in how we talk about HPV, and who we think it affects.
