| A variety of cancers can be caused by particular sexually transmitted infections — the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), the hepatitis viruses B and C (HBV and HCV), and certain types of the human papilloma viruses (HPVs). All of these viruses can be transmitted to women and men and from women and men.
Unprotected vaginal or anal intercourse is a high-risk activity for transmitting HIV, HBV, and the HPVs that can cause cancer of the cervix, vulva, or penis. HIV and HPV are much less likely to be transmitted by oral sex or other forms of sex play. Of these three viruses, HBV is more likely to be transmitted through oral sex and kissing. (HCV is only rarely transmitted sexually.) A vaccine is now available to protect against HBV. There is also a single HPV vaccine that can protect against two types of HPV that cause genital warts and the two types of HPV that cause 70 percent of cases of cervical cancer. | 
