Even so, Deshmukh and his team were surprised to find that more than 80% of men and 75% of women ages 18 to 26 — and 70% of all U.S. adults — are unaware that HPV causes oral, anal, and penile cancers. Genital strains of HPV, the human papillomavirus, are transmitted during sexual activity and are ubiquitous, though most people clear the virus naturally before it can evolve into cancer.