HPV cancer rising in men, Cancer Society wants boys vaccinated - Action News
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HPV cancer rising in men, Cancer Society wants boys vaccinated

A new report from the Canadian Cancer Society says cancers caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV) are rising in men. It's calling on the provincial government to expand its school vaccination program to include boys.

'All of these cancers can be prevented,' says Matthew Piercey, CEO of the N.L. chapter

Starting this fall, teens in England will get just one HPV shot  making it the latest country to drop the number of required doses for the highly-effective vaccines known for protecting against a slate of cancers. Should Canada follow suit?
Grade 6 girls are vaccinated against HPV, but the Cancer Society says both sexes should get protection. (John Amis/Associated Press)

The Canadian Cancer Society is warning the Newfoundland and Labradorgovernment that it's no longer enough to vaccinate only girls for the human papillomavirus(HPV).

New statistics suggest boys need the vaccine too.

A report released by the Canadian Cancer Society says the number of Canadian men with HPV-related mouth and throat cancer is rising, and could surpass the rate ofcervical cancer caused by HPV.

The study says between 1992 and 2012, the number of men with HPV mouth and throat cancer rose by 56 per cent.

Threat to men and women

Matthew Piercey, CEO of the Newfoundland and Labradorchapter of the Canadian Cancer Society, said HPV was once seen as a threat only towomen, but the societynow knows the virus causes up to 35 per cent of mouth and throat cancers in both sexes.

"We need to work hand in hand with government," said Piercey.

"You can go to your family doctor ... to get the male child vaccinated, which we urge people to do, but it really needs to be within the school system as well."

Matthew Piercey, CEO of the Canadian Cancer Society NL, said government should expand its HPV school vaccination program to include boys. (CBC News)

For anyone going the family doctor route, the latest version of the vaccine, Gardasil-9, isn't cheap.

At one local pharmacy, the cost of a single dose is $204, and the child may need two or threedoses depending on age.

In 2007, the provincial government launched a school vaccination program targeting girls in Grade 6to reduce the incidence of cervical cancer in this province.

At the time, the cost of the program was approximately $4.6 million over three years.

Preventable cancer

Piercey saidthat this province's vaccinationprogram should be expanded to include boys. Alberta, Manitoba, Nova Scotia, Ontario, PrinceEdward Islandand Quebec all vaccinate boys and girls.

The Canadian Cancer Society doesn't have statistics on HPV-related cancers in this province, but nationally, Piercey said nearly 4,400 people will be diagnosed with an HPV cancer this year.

About 1,200 of them will die from the disease.

"Now we know that males as well are directly impacted, and the numbers are increasing ... All of these cancers can be prevented."

CBC contacted the Health Department to ask if a program expansion is being considered, but hadnot received a response as of Wednesday evening.