There is no FDA-approved HPV test available for men. Unlike cervical screening, which has well-established HPV tests for women, no equivalent test exists to check a man’s overall HPV status. The virus can infect multiple body sites simultaneously, and results can change over months or years, making a single “HPV status” test unreliable. That doesn’t mean HPV goes completely undetected in men, but the available options are limited and situation-specific.
Why There’s No Standard HPV Test for Men
Every FDA-approved HPV test on the market was designed to detect the virus on the cervix. The cervix has a specific area where HPV-driven cell changes develop in a predictable pattern, which makes screening effective. Male anatomy doesn’t offer an equivalent site. HPV can live on the penile shaft, the scrotum, the area under the foreskin, inside the urethra, around the anus, and in the throat, all at the same time or at different times.
Research has confirmed this challenge directly. In a study that swabbed six different anatomic sites on men with known HPV, no single site detected more than about half of the HPV types present. Penile shaft swabs caught roughly 50% of types, scrotal swabs around 32%, and urine samples just 16%. Detection only approached 99% when researchers combined swabs from five different sites with a tissue biopsy. That kind of multi-site sampling isn’t practical for routine screening, which is why no standardized test has been approved.
What Doctors Can Check For
The most common way HPV is identified in men is through a visual exam. Genital warts, caused by low-risk HPV strains, are diagnosed by a healthcare provider looking at the skin. The warts typically appear as small bumps or clusters in the genital area. They can be raised or flat, small or large, and sometimes have a cauliflower-like texture. They show up on the penis, scrotum, groin, thighs, or around the anus.
If a lesion looks unusual (pigmented, bleeding, ulcerated, or fixed to deeper tissue), a biopsy can confirm the diagnosis and rule out precancerous changes. HPV DNA testing is not recommended for diagnosing genital warts because the results don’t change how warts are treated. Knowing the specific HPV type present doesn’t alter the management plan, so providers rely on what they can see and feel.
Anal Screening for High-Risk Groups
One area where HPV-related screening does exist for men is anal cancer prevention. This applies primarily to men living with HIV, men who have sex with men (MSM), and transgender women, all of whom face significantly higher rates of anal cancer caused by high-risk HPV strains.
Current clinical guidelines recommend the following approach for people with HIV:
- Annual symptom assessment: All people with HIV should be checked yearly for anal symptoms like unexplained itching, bleeding, or pain, regardless of whether they have a history of anal intercourse.
- Screening starting at age 35: MSM and transgender women with HIV should begin screening for anal precancer at age 35.
- Screening starting at age 45: All other people with HIV should begin anal cancer screening at age 45.
Screening involves an anal cytology test (similar in concept to a cervical Pap test), sometimes combined with high-risk HPV co-testing. A provider collects cells from the anal canal and sends them to a lab. If results are abnormal, the next step is high-resolution anoscopy, a procedure that uses magnification to closely examine the anal lining and identify areas that may need biopsy. Risk factors that may prompt earlier or more urgent referral include a history of AIDS, smoking, immune suppression, and infection with HPV types 16 or 18.
Oral HPV: No Screening Available
HPV-related throat cancer (oropharyngeal cancer) is now more common in men than cervical cancer is in women in some countries, yet there is no approved screening test to detect HPV in the throat. Researchers at major cancer centers are working on blood-based detection methods, but nothing is available for clinical use yet.
Without a screening tool, the practical approach is awareness of symptoms. A lump in the neck that persists, ear pain that seems disproportionate to any infection, a sore throat or difficulty swallowing that doesn’t resolve within two weeks, or changes in your voice all warrant a visit to an ear, nose, and throat specialist. These cancers are often caught when someone notices a painless neck mass, so paying attention to that area matters.
What a Self-Check Looks Like
Since most HPV infections in men produce no symptoms and clear on their own, a self-check is really about spotting visible changes. Periodically examine the skin on your penis, scrotum, groin, and the area around the anus. You’re looking for any new bumps, clusters of small raised spots, flat discolored patches, or growths with an irregular cauliflower-like surface. Warts can appear weeks, months, or even years after exposure, so a new finding doesn’t necessarily reflect recent contact.
Keep in mind that many HPV infections, including high-risk strains linked to cancer, never produce warts or any visible sign. A clean self-exam doesn’t mean you’re HPV-free. It means you don’t have visible wart-type lesions at that moment.
Prevention Through Vaccination
Because testing options are so limited, vaccination is the most effective tool men have against HPV. The CDC recommends HPV vaccination for boys starting at age 11 or 12 (it can begin as early as 9) and for anyone through age 26 who wasn’t adequately vaccinated earlier. The vaccine protects against the HPV types responsible for most genital warts and HPV-related cancers, including anal and throat cancers.
For those who start the vaccine before age 15, only two doses are needed, spaced 6 to 12 months apart. Starting at age 15 or older requires three doses spread over six months. Adults between 27 and 45 can also receive the vaccine after discussing it with a provider, though the benefit is smaller since most people in that age range have already been exposed to common HPV types. The vaccine doesn’t treat existing infections but does protect against strains you haven’t encountered yet.