Screening, early treatment cut anal cancer risk

ebar.com:

Screening people with HIV for precancerous anal cell changes and treating them early cuts the risk of anal cancer by more than half, according to results from the ANCHOR study published June 16 in the New England Journal of Medicine."It is great news that we now have the possibility to reduce the risk of developing anal cancer," lead investigator Dr.

Joel Palefsky, who established the world's first clinic devoted to anal cancer prevention at UCSF in 1991, told the Bay Area Reporter."We believe that screening for anal cancer precursors and treating them should become the standard of care for people with HIV over the age of 35 years," he added. "We are working on detailed guidelines for anal screening in people with HIV now, and we hope these will be out in the very near future."Anal cancer, like cervical cancer, is caused by the human papillomavirus, one of the most common sexually transmitted infections.

The virus triggers abnormal cell growth that can progress to precancerous dysplasia (known as high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions, or HSIL) and invasive cancer.

HPV vaccines, which are recommended for girls and boys at age 11 or 12, can prevent anal, cervical, and oral cancer.While anal cancer is uncommon in the general population, rates have been rising for both men and women since the 1970s, Dr.