About 14 million people, including teens, become infected each year with the human papillomavirus, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The virus can cause genital warts and cervical, anal and penile cancers, among other issues, said Dr. Jamie Jarboe, a hematology oncologist at Graves-Gilbert Clinic.

“We see a fair amount of people with HPV-related cancer,” she said.

There is a renewed push by the national medical community for children and young adults to get the HPV vaccine, which can help prevent genital warts and the cancers.

“One of the main things we do is promote it. We highly encourage it. It’s our first vaccine that helps prevent cancer. HPV is common in the community,” pediatric nurse practitioner Elizabeth Hawkins said. “Just because you don’t put yourself at risk down the road doesn’t mean you won’t contract HPV. If we can prevent cancer, that’s how I approach it.”

The vaccine initially was only for girls but now is recommended for boys as well. It is licensed for people ages 9 through 26, Hawkins said.

“You can give it as early as 9. We usually don’t start it that early,” she said. “We do it during the sixth-grade physical. We’re seeing it at this time of year because of sixth-grade physicals.”

The vaccine is a three-shot series, Hawkins said.

“The second one is two months after the first one and the third is six months after the first one,” she said. “If you miss a dose, you do not have to restart the series.”

In a full week, Hawkins sees 10 to 12 patients who get the vaccine.

“They’re in for a check-up and will support the subject,” she said.

Every parent is not receptive to their child getting the vaccine, Hawkins said.

“Some of them are adamant and there’s no discussing it with them. I always send the information about the vaccine unless they’re adamant that they’re not interested,” she said. “I offer information, but they’re not always interested in taking it. Sometimes that’s a decision they want to make when they talk to the other parent.”

Treatment for HPV-related cancer is the same as non HPV-related cancer, Jarboe said. Patients with HPV-related cancer are usually older than the target age for the vaccine. The 2000-2004 SEER Cancer Statistics Review said the average cervical cancer diagnosis is around age 48.

“Head and neck cancer is more common in patients over the age of 50, particularly between 50 and 70,” Jarboe said. “Head and neck cancer has a better prognosis with HPV than patients without HPV-related head and neck cancer.”

Jarboe believes the HPV vaccine should make big strides in regards to cancer, particularly cervical and anal cancer.

“They are 90 percent HPV related,” she said. “If we can get more to get the vaccination, hopefully we can see less patients with cervical and anal cancers and the same with head and neck cancers even though not as many of them are HPV related.”

— Follow features reporter Alyssa Harvey on Twitter @bgdnfeatures or visit bgdailynews.com.