HPV vaccination rates among active duty and veterans are half that of the civilian population.

Active-duty military and veterans are twice as likely as civilians to develop cancer causing HPV infections.

HPV-associated oropharyngeal cancer, which occurs predominantly in males, is rising more rapidly among veterans than civilians.

Over 90% of all of these HPV-related cancers are preventable through HPV vaccination.

Read the cancer story of Cemonia, a military spouse.

Cemonia's story of battling cervical cancer caused by HPV is inspiring. Click the image to read about her, and find more stories like hers at Cervivor.org/stories

You are busy. Let us help you remember your health!

We can send you a text message (regular text/data charges may apply) to remind you to schedule your next HPV/Cancer screening. This can be particularly helpful when you are transfered or deployed. Staying on top of your cancer screenings keeps you healthy and mission-ready. Click the image below to sign up for reminders.

• HPV-Related Cancers: A Growing Threat to U.S. Military Health and Readiness. Julia Seay, Rayna Matsuno, Jennifer Buechel, Karen Tannenbaum, Natalie Wells. Military Medicine. May/June 2022.

• Feasibility and sustainability of a nurse-led intervention to integrate HPV vaccination into medical processing for active-duty Soldiers. Penick E, Grabert BK, Stockton E, Prentice-Dunn H, Ward M, Kirk T, Gilkey MB. Hum Vaccin Immunother. 2022 Dec 30

• Human Papillomavirus Vaccination Prevalence and Disproportionate Cancer Burden Among US Veterans. Chidambaram S, Chang SH, Sandulache VC, Mazul AL, Zevallos JP. JAMA Oncol. 2023 May

• Factors Associated with Human Papillomavirus Vaccine Initiation and Compliance Among U.S. Military Service Members. Rayna K Matsuno, Julia Seay, Ben Porter, Karen Tannenbaum, Steven Warner, Natalie Wells, Military Medicine, July/August 2023.

• Federal Practioner, Data Trends. July 2023. www.fedprac-digital.com/federalpractitioner/federal_health_care_data_trends_2023/MobilePagedReplica.action?pm=2&folio=Cover#pg1

• National trends in oropharyngeal cancer incidence and survival within the Veterans Affairs Health Care System. Zevallos JP, Kramer JR, Sandulache VC, Massa ST, Hartman CM, Mazul AL, Wahle BM, Gerndt SP, Sturgis EM, Chiao EY. Head Neck. Jan 2021.

• Prevalence of Human Papillomavirus Genotypes and Abnormal Pap Smears Among Women in the Military Health System. Daly CM, Hansen SL, Kwon PO, Roberts TA. J Community Health. 2018 Jun.

• Risk and incidence of head and neck cancers in veterans living with HIV and matched HIV-negative veterans. Mazul AL, Hartman CM, Mowery YM, Kramer JR, White DL, Royse KE, Raychaudhury S, Sandulache VC, Ahmed ST, Zevallos JP, Richardson PA, Sikora AG, Chiao EY.  Cancer. 2022 Sep 15.

• Clinical and economic burden of HPV-related cancers in the US veteran population. Saxena K, Dawson RS, Cyhaniuk A, Bello T, Janjan N.  J Med Econ. 2022 Jan-Dec.

• Incidence of genital warts among U.S. service members before and after the introduction of the quadrivalent human papillomavirus vaccine.  Nsouli-Maktabi H, Ludwig SL, Yerubandi UD, Gaydos JC. MSMR. 2013 Feb.