Cervical cancer in gay men

Image: outsmartmagazine.com

Much of the information about HPV virus (human papillomavirus) centers on women, since having the virus increases their risk of getting cervical cancer. But few people know that HPV virus in men can cause health problems, too.


HPV infection can increase a man's risk of getting genital cancers, although these cancers are not common. HPV can also cause genital warts in men, just as in women.

Many men who are sexually active in the will have HPV at some time in their life. Often, doctors say,  a man will clear the virus on his own, with no health problems.

The types of high-risk HPV that can cause cancer rarely present any symptoms in men or in women. Genital warts are the first symptom you may see with low-risk HPV strains that cause warts but not cancer.

Cancer of the anus, like the cervix, develops slowly, beginning with minor cell changes. For women, a simple pap smear is used to detect these cell changes in the cervix in their early stages.The anus and the cervix are biologically similar and both are target chambers for HPV infection.

A growing number of gay physicians and health activists now believe that routine screening, using an anal pap smear, could reduce the incidence of anal cancer as dramatically as it has cervical cancer in women.

The best form of prevention for anal cancer may be a vaccination against HPV infection.

Anal cancer is an increasing health threat to MSMs (men sleeping with men), especially those who are HIV+, and there is no professional consensus about whether to vaccinate against it, screen for cell changes or how to treat positive results on an anal pap smear. More research is needed and both the consumer and provider communities need to be educated. Most health care providers are not offering anal cancer screening to their patients, either because they are unaware of the risk factors for anal cancer, do not inquire about their patients' high risk sexual practices, and/or do not know how to perform an anal pap smear. Some providers are knowledgeable but do not believe that routine screening of this population is warranted.