HPV-Related Cancer in Men — Stories from Survivors

In ASHA’s 2022 survey of 1,040 men in the U.S., only 31% of respondents knew that HPV can cause anal and penile cancer and even fewer (23%) knew that HPV can cause oral/throat cancer.

We know that one important way to raise awareness about HPV-related cancer in men is by sharing stories of those who have experienced it. For patients diagnosed with cancer and survivors, stories from others who have been through the same experience can be a source of comfort, support, and possibly guidance on how to manage the experience. For spouses and family members, such stories can offer a window into the world of their loved ones. Healthcare providers also benefit from the insight offered by patients—insights they may not otherwise hear.

Below we share stories from three men on their experiences with HPV-related cancer.

Man with breast cancer shares 1 symptom he ignored for months: 'It wasn’t a lump'

Robert George’s mother had breast cancer so he’s no stranger to the disease as a supportive family member. He never thought he would become a patient himself.

“It never crossed my mind,” George, 61, who lives in New York, tells TODAY.com.

“I’m sure like most men, if we have any thoughts about cancer at all, we might think about lung cancer, if you’re a smoker, or prostate cancer.”



But after dismissing a breast symptom for months before getting the diagnosis this summer and undergoing a mastectomy, he’s warning other men and especially Black men: “It can happen to you,” he says.

How I Worked Through My Depression Treatment and Resulting Sexual Dysfunction

As an adult, Jason experienced multiple symptoms of MDD, including depressed mood, loss of interest in things he once enjoyed, fatigue, trouble sleeping, poor concentration, and restlessness. At the direction of his psychiatrist, Jason eventually began treatment with antidepressants, but soon he learned that managing side effects was an important part of his journey.

One of the more difficult side effects for Jason was sexual dysfunction, which he began noticing after he started taking various treatments his psychiatrist prescribed for his MDD. “Sexual side effects aren’t something you openly talk about at work or with friends, and it can feel isolating.” According to Jason, it wasn’t easy for him to discuss what he was experiencing—especially delayed or absent climax—with his psychiatrist either. When he finally did talk about it, his doctor explained that what he was likely experiencing was called treatment-emergent sexual dysfunction (TESD), which can affect as many as 80 percent of patients.



“But it’s not just a physical issue—it’s emotional and mental one too,” says Jason. “When you lose sexual function, it chips away at your confidence. It can make intimacy feel awkward or disconnected. In my case, it created a quiet, persistent frustration in my marriage—not because of my partner’s reaction, but because of how it made me feel about myself. It made me avoid initiating intimacy at times, and that created some distance in our relationship.”

If You Love Your Penis, You Need To Do Pelvic Floor Therapy

WHEN YOU HEAR “pelvic floor”—if you’ve heard of it at all—there’s a good chance you’ve written it off as something only women have to deal with, particularly after giving birth. Although that’s true, men absolutely have a pelvic floor, and when it experiences dysfunction, it can lead to a host of health problems, including different types of erectile dysfunction and sexual dissatisfaction.

Men’s health—general and sexual—are closely connected to the function of the pelvic floor, says Susie Gronski, P.T., D.P.T., C.S.C., a pelvic floor physical therapist and sexuality counselor in Asheville, NC. (Her colleagues in the field call her the guru of the male pelvic floor.) Found in the lower abdominal region, between the pubic bone and the tailbone, the pelvic floor reaches front to back, and between the hips, side to side. Think of it as a hammock of muscles, which holds organs, including the bladder, prostate, and rectum, says Lauren Garges, P.T., D.P.T., a board-certified pelvic floor physical therapist with St. Luke’s University Health Network in Bethlehem, PA.

Men also have a set of pelvic floor muscles called the urogenital triangle, which play vital roles in achieving and maintaining erections, and supporting healthy ejaculation, Gronski says. (FYI: Women also have a urogenital triangle, although the muscles that make up this part of the body differ from those of their male counterparts.)

It’s Not Your Age – It’s Your Sugar: What’s Really Driving Men’s Sexual Decline

A long-term study of healthy men shows that even non-diabetic glucose levels can slow sperm, weaken erections, and reduce libido. The findings suggest that controlling blood sugar — not just hormone levels — could be key to preserving sexual and reproductive health in aging men.

Blood Sugar Drives Male Reproductive Changes

Changes in reproductive and sexual health among aging men are more strongly linked to metabolic factors, especially slight rises in blood sugar, than to age alone, according to findings shared at ENDO 2025, the Endocrine Society’s annual meeting in San Francisco, California.

“Although age and testosterone levels have long been considered an impetus for men’s declining sexual health, our research indicates that these changes more closely correlate with modest increases in blood sugar and other metabolic changes,” said Michael Zitzmann, M.D., Ph.D., professor and doctor of medicine at University Hospital in Muenster, Germany. “This means that men can take steps to preserve or revive their reproductive health with lifestyle choices and appropriate medical interventions.”

The Biggest Problem In My Sex Life? Diabetes

When you have diabetes your sex life, just like everything else, is much more complicated. Whatever type of diabetes you have, whatever your gender and whoever you choose to have sex with, intimacy comes with a number of caveats and precautions that have to be negotiated. But thanks to the persistent taboo that surrounds talking about sex, as well as a lack of understanding about diabetes, the issue is rarely discussed.

As Emma Elvin, Senior Clinical Advisor at Diabetes UK puts it to R29: "Many people will experience sexual problems at some point in their lives. If you have diabetes, it doesn’t mean you’ll definitely have a problem with your sex life. But people with diabetes are more at risk of sexual dysfunction."

The disruption to men’s sex lives is slightly more discussed (a quick google of the words ‘diabetes’ and ‘sex’ prioritises results about erectile dysfunction) but the effect is marked for women too, both physically and psychologically.

Simone*, a 29-year-old type 1 diabetic in Glasgow, tells R29 that her diabetes absolutely affects her sex life. 

'As a sex expert, this is why self pleasure is so important – and 4 ways to do it better

How do you feel when you hear the word 'pleasure'? As a sex expert and head of brand at sexual wellness company Smile Makers, Samatha Marshall wouldn't be surprised if your answer was awkward or ashamed. In fact, she's used to the word rousing anything but joy. And yet, 'Isn't the purpose of pleasure to be joyful?' she asks.

The problem is we're thinking about pleasure all wrong. To start with, it's not a 'nice to have' – it's a right. 'When The World Health Organization define sexual health, pleasure comes into it,' she says. Secondly, we (in particular women) continuously put other people's pleasure first.

'Sex is always discussed in the context of somebody else, which make us feel like it's not relevant to our own wellness.



And I think that has has made us as a society think a certain way about what pleasure is and when we're allowed it,' says Samantha.

Self-pleasure, then, is a radical act, she says – especially right now, when alt-right politics and tradwives are both encouraging the idea that women's lives – and bodies – exist to serve others.

'Even if you believe in equality in all other aspects of life, many of us still fall into gender roles in the bedroom,' says Samantha. 'That is why self-pleasure is so important: it gives us greater body autonomy and a feeling ownership and connection to our physical selves.'

The History of 1000 Years of Sex Toys - We've COME a Long Way

In the not-too-distant past, adult sex toys were considered taboo and were hidden away in dark corners.

Today, however, they are more openly accepted and are even considered mainstream. You can find sex toys online or in sex toy stores in broad daylight, and why shouldn’t they be accessible?

Sexuality is an intrinsic part of our lives, so the taboos against sex toys are insane! Sex toys have certainly come a long way in recent years.

Regarding innovation, sex toys are no longer the simple objects they once were. When sex toys first became commercial items, i.e., objects you could purchase in markets, their form was fairly restricted. But now, they come in various shapes, sizes, and colors and have a variety of functions, ranging from simple vaginal stimulation to deep clitoral stimulation and prostate massage via Bluetooth and remote controls.

But the history of sex toys doesn’t start in the modern age. Since the beginning of time, people have been using various objects for sexual pleasure, even if they weren’t widely available in markets. Sometimes, these objects were carved or fashioned out of natural materials, like stone, wood, or ivory. Other times, they were made from more mundane materials, like leather or even bread!