Cancers Linked with HPV
HPV (human papillomavirus) is known to cause many types of cancer in adults, including cancers of the mouth and throat, cervix, vulva, vagina, penis, and anus. More than 37,000 people get HPV-related cancers in the United States every year.
HPV vaccines can prevent more than 90% of HPV cancers when given at the recommended ages. Learn more about vaccination recommendations in HPV Vaccines and about testing options in HPV Testing.
Cervical cancer
Cervical cancer is the most common cancer linked to HPV in people with a cervix. In fact, nearly
all cervical cancers are caused by HPV. Cervical cancer is preventable with the HPV vaccine
and regular screening tests.
Cervical cancer can be found early and even prevented with routine screening tests. Screening tests that are used include the HPV test and Pap test. The HPV test looks for an HPV infection. The Pap test looks for changes in cervical cells caused by HPV infection.
Vulvar cancer
HPV can cause cancer of the vulva. The vulva is the outer part of the female genital organs. This cancer is much less common than cervical cancer.
There’s no standard screening test for cancer of the vulva. Vulvar cancer might be found because a person notices changes or problems in their vulvar area, or because a health care professional sees signs during a routine physical exam.
Vaginal cancer
Most cancers of the vagina contain HPV.
Many vaginal pre-cancers also contain HPV, and these changes may be present for years before turning into cancer. These pre-cancers can sometimes be found with the same screening test that’s used to test for cervical cancer and pre-cancers. If a vaginal pre-cancer is found, it can be treated to stop further cell changes that can lead to cancer.
Penile cancer
HPV can cause cancer of the penis. Penile cancer is more common in men with HIV and those who have had sex with other men.
There’s no standard screening test to find early signs of penile cancer. Because most penile cancers start on the skin of the penis, they may be noticed early.
Anal cancer
HPV can cause cancer of the anus in both men and women. Anal cancer is more common in people with HIV and in men who have sex with other men.
Screening tests for anal cancer are not recommended routinely for everyone. Some experts recommend anal cytology testing (also called an anal Pap test) for people at higher risk of anal cancer. This includes men who have had sex with men, people who have had cervical cancer or vulvar cancer, or anyone who may have a compromised immune system (ie. HIV-positive, anyone who has had an organ transplant).
Mouth and throat cancer
HPV is found in many oral (mouth) and throat cancers. Most cancers found in the part of the throat behind the mouth are HPV-related. These are the most common HPV-related cancers in men.
There’s no standard screening test to find these cancers early. Still, some can be found early during routine exams by a dentist, doctor, or dental hygienist, or by doing self-checks.
- Written by
- References
The American Cancer Society medical and editorial content team
Our team is made up of doctors and oncology certified nurses with deep knowledge of cancer care as well as editors and translators with extensive experience in medical writing.
American Cancer Society. Cancer Prevention & Early Detection Facts & Figures 2023- 2024. American Cancer Society, Atlanta, Ga. 2023.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Human Papillomavirus (HPV). 2023. Accessed at https://www.cdc.gov/hpv/ on February 13, 2024.
National Cancer Institute. HPV and Cancer. 2023. Accessed at https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/risk/infectious-agents/hpv-and-cancer on February 13, 2024.
Palefsky JM. Human papillomavirus infections: Epidemiology and disease associations. UpToDate. 2023. Accessed at https://www.uptodate.com/contents/human-papillomavirus-infections-epidemiology-and-disease-associations on February 13, 2024.
Saslow D, Andrews KS, Manassaram-Baptiste D, et al. Human papillomavirus vaccination 2020 guideline update: American Cancer Society guideline adaptation. CA Cancer J Clin. 2020; DOI: 10.3322/caac.21616.
Last Revised: April 30, 2024
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