ByDORON KUPERSTEIN

JUNE 18, 2026 14:00

For many years people viewed the papillomavirus mainly as a concern for women. Public discussions, health campaigns, and screening programs centered on the cervix and its connection to cervical cancer. Women became familiar with Pap tests, learned about vaccination benefits, and understood the serious health implications of the virus.

Among men the situation looks very different.

Many still believe the papillomavirus does not affect them or only threatens their female partners. Specialists now caution that this view is risky, especially as cases of head and neck cancers tied to the virus keep climbing around the world.

In Israel roughly 600 individuals receive a head and neck cancer diagnosis each year, while the United States sees about 60,000 new cases annually. The 2025 American Cancer Report notes that although several cancers are declining or holding steady, head and neck cancers are rising by about 0.7 percent yearly, driven largely by papillomavirus-related cases.

"I see the same surprised look time and time again"

Dr. Ortal Ben-Aharon, an expert in oral, facial, and maxillofacial surgery who leads the HPV clinic at Ichilov, observes that awareness among Israeli men remains quite limited despite the concerning statistics.

"For years the papillomavirus was seen almost exclusively as a women's issue," she notes. "Women routinely inquire about testing and recognize the direct cancer link. Men, however, mostly assume the virus has nothing to do with them."

Israel, home to more than ten million people, currently has only one clinic offering men specialized checks for papillomavirus-related lesions in the mouth and throat.

Since the Ichilov clinic launched less than ten months ago, around 410 patients have been examined. Of the 390 who received results, 24 carried high-risk strains. Three were women with prior cervical HPV, and 21 were unvaccinated men. Nearly half of these men had experienced condylomas previously.

"These figures point to a serious gap in awareness and policy," states Dr. Ben-Aharon. She often encounters young, healthy-looking men who are shocked to learn they face this risk.

"I encounter that surprised expression repeatedly. Men who never thought they could harbor the virus for years and later face serious conditions such as head and neck, anal, or penile cancers."

An illusion of security among men

Some patients seek testing after a partner receives an HPV diagnosis, while others come forward only when symptoms appear.

"Many recall requesting vaccination earlier and being told it was unnecessary after age 25," she adds. "Others received no guidance even after their partner tested positive."

Unlike women, who receive regular screening invitations through health funds, men get little information about available tests. "There is no structured pathway, no clear protocols for primary-care doctors, and no widespread public outreach," she explains. "Usually no one alerts them to the danger."

The outcome is a false sense of safety. "When the topic stays silent, men assume the threat is minor. Yet medical evidence shows otherwise."

"Talking about preventive medicine while half the population is left out of the conversation"

Western nations have seen steady growth in HPV-linked head and neck cancers, especially among younger men lacking traditional risks like heavy smoking or excessive drinking.
The main challenge, notes Dr. Ben-Aharon, is that early signs often seem harmless.

"It may begin with a small sore that lingers, ongoing hoarseness, painful swallowing, blood in saliva, or a neck lump," she says. "These vague symptoms are frequently overlooked for months because no one considers a papillomavirus-related cancer."

Without awareness, warning signs go unnoticed. She stresses that men are not merely carriers but face real health threats themselves.

Regarding vaccination, a misleading narrative has developed. "Some men believe the shot only safeguards their female partners," she observes. "In reality it serves as a key preventive step that lowers disease risk for everyone."

Since last September the papillomavirus vaccine has been offered free to people aged 18 to 26 who missed school programs.

Dr. Ben-Aharon calls for a major change in the healthcare approach. "Just as we built a culture of early detection among women, we must do the same for men," she says.
This requires broad public campaigns, physician training to raise the topic proactively, wider testing access nationwide, and stronger vaccination efforts.

"Until men receive clear information, get vaccinated, and recognize the personal danger, diagnoses will arrive too late," she concludes. "Preventive medicine cannot succeed when half the population remains outside the discussion."