Evidence map›Paper›PMID 25985328›Full record

ArticleBMJ (Clinical research ed.)2015

Direct benefit of vaccinating boys along with girls against oncogenic human papillomavirus: bayesian evidence synthesis.

Johannes A Bogaards, Jacco Wallinga, Ruud H Brakenhoff, Chris J L M Meijer, Johannes Berkhof

Open access · hybridAbstract readEvaluation Study
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in BMJ (Clinical research ed.), 2015. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 42 papers, 6 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
42citing papers in PubMed, 6 pooled it
10.7field-weighted citation impact, top 1% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

42 citing papers in PubMed, 6 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 115 citations in OpenAlex.

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  10. The effects of human papillomavirus vaccination in Japan.Human vaccines & immunotherapeutics · 2025
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Johannes A BogaardsDepartment of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, VU University Medical Centre, PO Box 7057, 1007 MB Amsterdam, Netherlands Centre for Infectious Disease Control, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, PO Box 1, 3720 BA Bilthoven, Netherlands hans.bogaards@rivm.nl.
Jacco WallingaCentre for Infectious Disease Control, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, PO Box 1, 3720 BA Bilthoven, Netherlands.
Ruud H BrakenhoffDepartment of Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery, VU University Medical Centre, PO Box 7057, 1007 MB Amsterdam, Netherlands.
Chris J L M MeijerDepartment of Pathology, VU University Medical Centre, PO Box 7057, 1007 MB Amsterdam, Netherlands.
Johannes BerkhofDepartment of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, VU University Medical Centre, PO Box 7057, 1007 MB Amsterdam, Netherlands.
Amsterdam UMC Location VUmc · NLNational Institute for Public Health and the Environment · NL

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveTo assess the reduction in the vaccine preventable burden of cancer in men if boys are vaccinated along with girls against oncogenic human papillomavirus (HPV).

designBayesian evidence synthesis approach used to evaluate the impact of vaccination against HPV types 16 and 18 on the burden of anal, penile, and oropharyngeal carcinomas among heterosexual men and men who have sex with men. The reduced transmission of vaccine-type HPV from vaccination of girls was assumed to lower the risk of HPV associated cancer in all men but not to affect the excess risk of HPV associated cancers among men who have sex with men.

settingGeneral population in the Netherlands.

interventionInclusion of boys aged 12 into HPV vaccination programmes.

main outcome measuresQuality adjusted life years (QALYs) and numbers needed to vaccinate.

resultsBefore HPV vaccination, 14.9 (95% credible interval 12.2 to 18.1) QALYs per thousand men were lost to vaccine preventable cancers associated with HPV in the Netherlands. This burden would be reduced by 37% (28% to 48%) if the vaccine uptake among girls remains at the current level of 60%. To prevent one additional case of cancer among men, 795 boys (660 to 987) would need to be vaccinated; with tumour specific numbers for anal, penile, and oropharyngeal cancer of 2162, 3486, and 1975, respectively. The burden of HPV related cancer in men would be reduced by 66% (53% to 805) if vaccine uptake among girls increases to 90%. In that case, 1735 boys (1240 to 2900) would need to be vaccinated to prevent an additional case; with tumour specific numbers for anal, penile, and oropharyngeal cancer of 2593, 29107, and 6484, respectively.

conclusionsMen will benefit indirectly from vaccination of girls but remain at risk of cancers associated with HPV. The incremental benefit of vaccinating boys when vaccine uptake among girls is high is driven by the prevention of anal carcinomas, which underscores the relevance of HPV prevention efforts for men who have sex with men.

Indexed as

Papillomavirus VaccinesAdolescentAdultAgedAged, 80 and overAnus NeoplasmsBayes TheoremChildCost of IllnessFemaleHeterosexualityHomosexuality, MaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedModels, StatisticalPapillomavirus Vaccines

Identifiers

PMID25985328
PMCPMC4428278
OpenAlexW1774381695

What OpenQuestion holds

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Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.