HPV vaccines help prevent cancer caused by HPV infection. HPV infection is a very common; 3 out of 4 sexually active people will get HPV at some point in their lives. While most HPV infections will go away on their own, some will not and can become cancerous over time. HPV infection can cause:

Cancers of the cervix, vagina, and vulva
Cancers of the penis
Cancers of the anus and mouth and throat in both women and men

HPV infection can also cause genital warts. There are many different types of HPV. The types that cause genital warts are not the same as the types that cause cancer.

Date last reviewed:

Tuesday, Aug 02, 2022