The productivity loss associated with HPV-related cancer mortality in Europe; years of life lost and productivity costs

Human Papillomavirus (HPV) is linked to several cancers, including cervical, head and neck, vulval, vaginal, anal, and penile cancer. In 2022, HPV-related cancers accounted for an estimated 67,500 new cases annually across 27 EU states, imposing a humanistic and economic burden. This study estimates productivity losses from premature HPV-related cancer deaths in 2022 across 14 European countries. The human capital approach was used to estimate productivity losses from 11 HPV-related cancers in Austria, Bulgaria, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Hungary, Lithuania, Netherlands, Norway, Slovakia, Spain, and Sweden. Years of productive life lost (YPLL) and the present value of future lost productivity (PVFLP) were calculated using age-specific mortality, wage, and employment data from the World Bank, Eurostat, and national registries and databases. In 2022, 8,208 deaths resulted in 38,984 YPLL and €653 million in productivity losses. Germany had the highest YPLL and largest share of total PVFLP. Cervical cancer accounted for €456 million in PVFLP, followed by anal (€67.2 million) and oropharynx cancer (€65.2 million). Nasopharynx cancer, representing only 0.76% of deaths, had the highest PVFLP per death (€108,665). Premature death from HPV-related cancers imposes substantial productivity losses. Cervical cancer had the highest productivity loss followed by oropharynx and anal cancer. Disparities in economic burden across the 14 European countries highlight the need for tailored public health strategies and reinforce the importance of comprehensive vaccination programs.