Comments on: HPV Not Your Problem? Think Of Yourself As A Disease Reservoir http://www.talkingaboutmenshealth.com/2009/11/25/hpv-not-your-problem-think-of-yourself-as-a-disease-reservoir/ The health and well-being of boys, men and their famlies Tue, 27 Jul 2010 19:29:45 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Cheryl Mason http://www.talkingaboutmenshealth.com/2009/11/25/hpv-not-your-problem-think-of-yourself-as-a-disease-reservoir/comment-page-1/#comment-250 Cheryl Mason Sun, 17 Jan 2010 22:46:07 +0000 http://www.talkingaboutmenshealth.com/?p=124#comment-250 I like Mr. Barnett's approach as well as Mr. Manley's. I'm pleased to see the conversation being had among men. HPV is distressing in women and the possibility of cervical cancer, and of never being able to have a child as a result of HPV treatments tops the list of our worries. I would propose that primary care doctors treat HPV in men with as much attention as women receive. It would be helpful in treatment to know the males type of HPV...so bipsy could prove useful in treatment in woman partners.Topical meds like Aldara; or freezing . these are great teaching moments for patients to have with their doctors. The vaccine has been approve for use in boys. I like Mr. Barnett’s approach as well as Mr. Manley’s. I’m pleased to see the conversation being had among men. HPV is distressing in women and the possibility of cervical cancer, and of never being able to have a child as a result of HPV treatments tops the list of our worries. I would propose that primary care doctors treat HPV in men with as much attention as women receive. It would be helpful in treatment to know the males type of HPV…so bipsy could prove useful in treatment in woman partners.Topical meds like Aldara; or freezing . these are great teaching moments for patients to have with their doctors. The vaccine has been approve for use in boys.

]]> By: Depressedgirl http://www.talkingaboutmenshealth.com/2009/11/25/hpv-not-your-problem-think-of-yourself-as-a-disease-reservoir/comment-page-1/#comment-249 Depressedgirl Wed, 13 Jan 2010 12:49:25 +0000 http://www.talkingaboutmenshealth.com/?p=124#comment-249 i am now more careful about having unprotected sex because my bestfriend got infected with HPV last year. it was a horrible and painful experience for her. i am now more careful about having unprotected sex because my bestfriend got infected with HPV last year. it was a horrible and painful experience for her.

]]> By: Barry Barnett http://www.talkingaboutmenshealth.com/2009/11/25/hpv-not-your-problem-think-of-yourself-as-a-disease-reservoir/comment-page-1/#comment-230 Barry Barnett Fri, 18 Dec 2009 17:35:13 +0000 http://www.talkingaboutmenshealth.com/?p=124#comment-230 I'm not sure I agree with the characterization that in regard to HPV that women "have a problem" and men are "disease reservoirs." After all, every single hetrosexual man who has HPV today got it originally from a woman, right? So how come it's only men who are "disease reservoirs"? It is women, who can get tested to learn if they have HPV or not, and women who can get vaccinated to prevent ever getting it at all. Men can do neither of those things. So why does this article tell us that men are the problem with their "it's not my problem" attitude. Men can and do get HPV, and when that happens, it raises their rates for specific types of cancers- see below excerpted from Terra.com: "Human papillomavirus, or HPV, is the leading cause of cervical cancer in women. It also can cause genital warts, penile and anal cancer — risks for males that generally don't get the same attention as cervical cancer. Previous research by Gillison and others established HPV as a primary cause of the estimated 5,600 cancers that occur each year in the tonsils, lower tongue and upper throat. It's also been known that the virus' role in such cancers has been rising. The new study looked at more than 30 years of National Cancer Institute data on oral cancers. Researchers categorized about 46,000 cases, using a formula to divide them into those caused by HPV and those not connected to the virus. They concluded the incidence rates for HPV-related oral cancers rose steadily in men from 1973 to 2004, becoming about as common as those from tobacco and alcohol." So we can see that men are not merely "disease reservoirs" but are victims of this disease also. I think that our efforts would be beter directed to ensuring that a vaccine is developed for men (which would benefit men and women both) or that the existing vaccine be tested to see if it is effective for men as well. Until both men and women have a means of prevention, then the public health risks and consequences of HPV will not be abated. I’m not sure I agree with the characterization that in regard to HPV that women “have a problem” and men are “disease reservoirs.” After all, every single hetrosexual man who has HPV today got it originally from a woman, right? So how come it’s only men who are “disease reservoirs”?

It is women, who can get tested to learn if they have HPV or not, and women who can get vaccinated to prevent ever getting it at all. Men can do neither of those things. So why does this article tell us that men are the problem with their “it’s not my problem” attitude.

Men can and do get HPV, and when that happens, it raises their rates for specific types of cancers- see below excerpted from Terra.com:

“Human papillomavirus, or HPV, is the leading cause of cervical cancer in women. It also can cause genital warts, penile and anal cancer — risks for males that generally don’t get the same attention as cervical cancer.

Previous research by Gillison and others established HPV as a primary cause of the estimated 5,600 cancers that occur each year in the tonsils, lower tongue and upper throat. It’s also been known that the virus’ role in such cancers has been rising.

The new study looked at more than 30 years of National Cancer Institute data on oral cancers. Researchers categorized about 46,000 cases, using a formula to divide them into those caused by HPV and those not connected to the virus.

They concluded the incidence rates for HPV-related oral cancers rose steadily in men from 1973 to 2004, becoming about as common as those from tobacco and alcohol.”

So we can see that men are not merely “disease reservoirs” but are victims of this disease also. I think that our efforts would be beter directed to ensuring that a vaccine is developed for men (which would benefit men and women both) or that the existing vaccine be tested to see if it is effective for men as well. Until both men and women have a means of prevention, then the public health risks and consequences of HPV will not be abated.

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