Technical Meeting: 

Elimination of HPV-associated Cancers: Routine Universal HPV Vaccination and the Role of Anal Screening

Antwerp, Belgium – 2025

 

Meeting Objectives
  • Burden of HPV-Related Disease
    • Review the epidemiological data and scope of HPV-related morbidity in females and males and their respective anatomical site burden.
    • Discuss available evidence in HPV natural history in males.
    • Examine the extent of impact by which male cohorts vaccination can reduce HPV-related disease both directly and indirectly (through herd protection).
  •  HPV Vaccine Safety, Efficacy, and Effectiveness in male cohorts
    • Present up-to-date clinical and real-world data on the safety profile and immunogenicity of HPV vaccines in male cohorts.
    • Discuss vaccine effectiveness data specific to preventing HPV-related diseases in male cohorts.
  •  Implementation Feasibility, Equity, and Lessons Learned from routine universal HPV vaccine implementation
    • Draw parallels to historical shifts in other vaccination programs, such as the transition of hepatitis B vaccination from risk groups to infant immunization schedules and rubella vaccination from adolescent girls to universal childhood immunization, and how these precedents can guide HPV vaccination strategies.
    • Asses the current HPV vaccine global supply and forecasted to understand and promote informed decision making
    • Present real-world examples from various countries to illustrate the considerations of this policy in their respective contexts.
    • Assess the implementation, cost-effectiveness, and equity considerations that inform policy for the adoption of routine universal HPV vaccination policies.
    • Explore facilitators and barriers to achieving equitable coverage and program resilience.
  •  Anal Cancer Screening and Assessing Impact
    • Review emerging and established guidelines for anal canal screening continuum, including recommendations (target, sample collection, laboratory testing methodologies, treatment, triage) to ensure comprehensive care and high-quality data.
    • Discuss how non-cervical screening (anal cancer screening) initiatives could be integrated to better capture the population-level impact of vaccinating male cohorts.
    • Understand and discuss the status and steps towards implementation considering resource allocation, workforce training, infrastructure needs, and strategies to promote equitable access.
  • MDEON Visa Number: (25/V2/16327/010117)

DAY 1 – Thursday, June 5, 2025

SESSION 1: WELCOME SESSION
Chairs: Alex Vorsters (University of Antwerp)

  • Welcome and Introduction – 10 years of HPV Prevention and Control Board
    Alex Vorsters (University of Antwerp) (Pdf, Video)
  • Setting the scene – Eliminahttps://youtu.be/oYzYuMaMntotion of HPV-associated Cancers: Routine Universal HPV Vaccination and the Role of Anal Screening.
    Ricardo Burdier (HPV Board Scientific Secretariat) (Pdf, Video)

SESSION 2: HPV-RELATED DISEASE: WHERE ARE WE NOW IN NUMBERS?
Chairs: Raúl Murillo (Centro Javeriano de Oncología) & Marc Arbyn (Sciensano)

  • Global distribution of HPV-related disease
    Laia Alemany (ICO/IARC) (Pdf, Video)

  • Global status of primary prevention (HPV vaccination) and secondary prevention (HPV-related cancer screening)
    Laia Bruni (ICO/IARC) (Pdf, Video)

  • Q&A (Video)

    SESSION 3: CURRENT LANDSCAPE OF ANAL CANCER SCREENING
    Chairs: Adrian Curran (Infectious Diseases Department, Vall d’Hebron University Hospital) & Dorothy Machalek (Kirby Institute)

    • Epidemiology of HPV-related disease in the anal canal: similarities and differences with the cervix
      Gary Clifford (IARC) (Pdf, Video)
    • Prevention of HPV-related disease of the Anus: Primary and Secondary Prevention
      Joel Palefsky (UCSF) (Pdf, Video)
    • Anal Cancer Screening Guidelines: Evidence and Practical Implications
      Nicolas Wentzensen (IANS) (Pdf, Video)

    Panel Discussion: Advancing Anal Cancer Screening: Evidence-Based Approaches and Real-World Challenges 
    Panelists:

      • Maribel Almonte (IARC) (Pdf)
      • Nicolas Wentzensen (IANS)
      • Adrian Curran (Vall d’Hebron, University Hospital)
      • Ana Patricia Ortiz (University of Puerto Rico) (Pdf)
      • Philip Roelandt (UZ Leuven) (Pdf)
      • Joel Palefsky (UCSF) (Pdf) 

    (Video)

     

    SESSION 4: HPV VACCINATION IN MALE COHORTS: SAFETY, EFFICACY AND IMPACT
    Chairs: Eduardo Franco (McGill University) & Nelly Mugo (KEMRI)

    • Natural History of HPV infection in Males: What do we know?
      Dorothy Machalek (Kirby Institute) (Pdf, Video)
    • HPV vaccination in male cohorts: Safety and Immunogenicity
      Anna Giuliano (Moffit Cancer Center) (Pdf, Video)
    • Gender-neutral HPV vaccination –A policy with superb impact
      Matti Lehtinen (Karolinska Institute) (Pdf, Video)
    • Q&A (Video)

    SESSION 5: PANEL DISCUSSION ON HPV VACCINE AVAILABILITY, PRICING AND SUPPLY DYNAMICS: INFORMED DECISION-MAKING FOR POLICY & PROCUREMENT
    Chairs: Iacopo Baussano (IARC) & Silvia de Sanjosé (ISGlobal)

    •  Panel Discussion on HPV global vaccine status, supply and procurement challenges: where are we now?
      Panelists: 
      WHO – Paul Bloem (Pdf)
      UNICEF – Oluwaseun Ayanniyi (Pdf)
      Gates Foundation – Peter Dull (Pdf)

    (Video)

     

    SESSION 6: PANEL/ ROUND TABLE DISCUSSION: FROM DATA TO POLICY OF ROUTINE UNIVERSAL VACCINATION PROGRAMS (HIC & LMICS)
    Chairs: Marc Steben (ISTTDR) & Mario Poljak (University of Ljubljana)

    • Historical shifts in other vaccination programs
      Pierre Van Damme (University of Antwerp) (Pdf, Video)
    • Panel Discussion on Global Insights on Routine Universal HPV Vaccination: Lessons from implementing countries

     Panelists:

    • United Kingdom – Kirsty Roy (PHS, NHS Scotland) (Pdf)
    • LMICs Perspective – Nelly Mugo (KEMRI) (Pdf)
    • Cameroon – Shalom Ndoula (EPI Office Cameroon) (Pdf)

    (Video)

    SESSION 7: EMERGING TOPIC DISCUSSION – POLL REQUESTING INPUT
    Chairs: HPV Prevention and Control Board Scientific Secretariat

    Poll Requesting Input: Participants suggest key questions and themes that they would like to explore further in the Day 2 – breakout session.

    DAY 2 – Friday, June 6, 2025

    DAY 2: WELCOME SESSION
    Chairs: Prof Alex Vorsters (University of Antwerp)

    Welcome and overview of day 1 discussions and emerging topics.

    SESSION 8: IMPLEMENTATION OF ROUTINE UNIVERSAL HPV VACCINATION & ANAL CANCER SCREENING: FEASIBILITY, EQUITY AND COST-EFFECTIVENESS
    Chairs:  Maribel Almonte (WHO) & Sharon Hanley (University of Aberdeen)

    •  Implementation of Anal Cancer Screening: An evidence-based roadmap to successful implementation
      Ann Burchell (University of Toronto) (Pdf, Video)
    • Has the inclusion of male cohorts impacted inequity? Implementation insights from the UK as a pioneer of this policy
      Ross Cameron (NHS Scotland)
    • Modelling inequalities with and without enhanced HPV vaccination efforts
      Marc Brisson (Université Laval) (Pdf)
    • Context-specific modelling in low-resource settings: additional impact and resource to expand to universal HPV vaccination
      Irene Man (IARC/WHO) (Pdf, Video)
    • Q&A & Discussion

    (Video)

    SESSION 9: BREAKOUT GROUPS – STRENGTHENING HPV-RELATED CANCER ELIMINATION

    • Breakout Group 1: Strengthening HPV Primary Prevention – Expanding Vaccination in Male Cohorts
      • Objective: This breakout group will explore strategies and context specific considerations to expand HPV vaccination in male cohorts, addressing prioritization, equity, and supply challenges.
      • Emerging topics related to HPV vaccination will be included in this group 
    • Breakout Group 2: Advancing HPV Secondary Prevention – Anal Cancer Screening and Program Impact
      • Objective: This breakout group will focus on identifying key challenges, opportunities, and next steps in optimizing anal cancer screening and triage strategies.
      • Emerging topics related to HPV vaccination will be included in this group
    • Plenary discussion

    SESSION 9: CONCLUSION
    Chairs: Pierre Van Damme (University of Antwerp)

    • Summary
      Marc Baay (P95) (Pdf, Video)
    • Concluding remarks
      Alex Vorsters (University of Antwerp)