AOGIN advises HPV vaccination for both men and women

The Asia Oceania Research Organization on Genital Infection and Neoplasia (AOGIN) has recommended that "both men and women should be vaccinated" to prevent human papillomavirus (HPV)-related cancers and other diseases.

Last Thursday, six Korean expert groups on HPV vaccines and related diseases, including the Korean Society of Gynecologic Oncology, the Korean Association of Urogenital Tract Infection and Inflammation, and the Korean Society of Head and Neck Surgery, and the parent societies of the three societies, released a joint position paper on vaccination of both men and women against HPV at the AOGIN Congress in Seoul.

In the position paper, the six expert groups recommended that all people aged 9-26 years, regardless of gender, should be vaccinated to prevent HPV-related diseases, including cervical cancer, head and neck cancer, genital warts, penile cancer, and male infertility; the optimal age for vaccination is 11 to 12 years; the number of doses should be two six-month intervals for 9-14-year-olds and three one- and six-month intervals for 15-26-year-olds; and vaccination of people aged 27 years and older should be done after consultation with a healthcare provider.

"Since HPV is commonly infected in men as well as women and is the cause of various diseases and cancers in both sexes, it is the global healthcare direction to vaccinate both men and women together," they said. "Prevention of diseases and cancers caused by HPV is an important topic for the health of future generations, so we have released a position paper with specific directions and resolutions from six academic organizations."

On Saturday, the final day of the congress, they also released a position paper on screening tests for early detection of cervical cancer.

Cervical cancer experts from the Asia-Oceania region endorsed the WHO position on cervical cancer screening and recommended the adoption of HPV testing as the primary screening method.

Currently, most Asia-Pacific countries have chosen HPV testing as the primary cervical cancer screening test of choice, except Australia and New Zealand, where cervical cytology remains a form of cervical screening.

The groups recommended that countries should: offer at least two HPV tests between the ages of 30 and 50 years using only clinically validated HPV tests; if healthcare resources allow, countries should offer testing at five-year intervals from ages 25 to 65 years; and introduce HPV self-collection to increase screening rates and carefully follow up on those who test positive.

"The position paper reflects that most Asia-Pacific countries recommend self-sampling," they said. “Equitable access to cervical cancer screening should be ensured through early detection of cervical cancer, and those who test positive for HPV should be managed according to WHO guidelines."

Under the theme of "Empowering Women, Together against Cervical Cancer," the event discussed the latest medical and scientific information needed to improve women's infection and cancer health, the agenda for public health promotion, and the diagnosis and treatment of the disease to combat cervical cancer.