LGBT Americans More Susceptible to Certain Forms of Cancer

[Yves]

The most common types of cancer among all men are skin, prostate, lung and colon, but several factors put gay and bisexual men at higher risk.

Recent reports from the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention and the American Cancer Society confirm the view that some cancers are more frequent among gay/bisexual men compared to straights.

Anal cancer is a significant factor: men who have sex with men are 17 times more likely than straights to develop anal cancer


From Edge Gay News:

LGBT Americans More Susceptible to Certain Forms of Cancer
by Kilian Melloy
Friday Mar 26, 2010

Gays and lesbians appear to be at higher risk for certain forms of cancer, the American Cancer Society says. At the same time, a survey of LGBT Americans indicates that there is little awareness of the risk within the community.

According to the Department of Health and Human Services, Center for Disease Control and Prevention, men who have sex with men (MSMs) are 17 times more likely than straights to develop anal cancer. The theory is that human papillomavirus (HPV)--which is thought to cause cervical cancer in women--can cause anal cancer in men.

Moreover, the American Cancer Society said in a March 23 news release, because gays and lesbians smoke twice as much as heterosexuals, they might be more at risk for lung cancer.

(...)

The best advice for MSMs: to get checked for anal warts or anal cancer by a doctor on a regular basis and, if they have (or have in the past had) anal warts already, to get pap smears to check for cancer.

http://www.edgeboston.com/index.php?ch=news&sc=&sc2=news&sc3=&id=103868

American Cancer Society: Cancer Facts for Gay and Bisexual Men Brochure (PDF)
http://www.cancer.org/downloads/COM/Gay%20Men%20CF%20Brochure.pdf

 

[propoolplayer99]

Thank God we can lower the incidence of these cancers with circumcision. The community really needs to wake up to this issue.

 

[Corny]

I am sure circumcision will help against anal cancer

 

[propoolplayer99]

I am sure circumcision will help against anal cancer

Actually, it's the foreskin that carries the HPV virus that anal cancer. It's the same reasoning behind circumcision and fewer cases of cervical cancer!

The more you know

 

[Xzilla7]

Thank God we can lower the incidence of these cancers with circumcision. The community really needs to wake up to this issue.

Except Americans are the ones mostly circumcised. This is almost a refutation.

 

[Nomenclature]

Keep in mind: HPV is clearly stated to only be a possible theory. It hasn't been proven yet that HPV is definitely what causes anal cancer.

It's also possible that a chemical in man-made lubricants, or long-term tissue damage from anal sex can be a factor as well. We don't know yet.

 

[Corny]

Actually, it's the foreskin that carries the HPV virus that anal cancer. It's the same reasoning behind circumcision and fewer cases of cervical cancer!

The more you know

Probably you should get to know a bit more before you throw phrases like that around.

The HPV virus *can* reside in your foreskin. But it also resides in your anus, around your anus, on your glans, on your shaft or even on your balls or groin area.

If the warts are in the anus - it most likely *drumroll* resides in the anus.

 

[KaraBulut]

Whether or not the foreskin plays a role in HPV transmission is moot if you put a condom over the foreskin.