Do Anal Paps Help Detect Anal Cancer Earlier?
This scenario is all too common in men infected with HIV. While the symptoms are subtle at first, eventually anal cancer can be a killer if not diagnosed and treated. Here are some important facts about anal cancer.
What is Anal Cancer?
Simply put, cancer is an abnormal growth of cells throughout the body. Therefore, anal cancer is abnormal cellular growth in and around the anus. First a few facts about anal cancer- In the general population anal cancer is fairly rare; about one in 100,000 people.
- In men who have sex with men (MSM), the incidence climbs to about 35 in 100,000.
- MSM who are HIV positive are twice as likely to get anal cancer than MSM who are HIV negative.
- While anal cancer affects the anus and nearby anatomy, it is actually a type of skin cancer.
- Anal cancer can be successfully treated if diagnosed early.
- While anal cancer is not limited to men, it is the only cancer more common in men than women.
10 Items Gay Men Should Discuss With Their Doctors
What Causes Anal Cancer?
Like many cancers, the exact cause of anal cancer is not know. There are some risk factors such as smoking that contribute to the development of cancer regardless of the type. Anal cancer has other risk factors that include:
The Signs and Symptoms of Anal Cancer?
One of the things that makes anal cancer so dangerous is that many people who have it show few or no symptoms prior to diagnosis. If there are symptoms they can include:- warts on the anus or genitals
- "sores" or "bumps" around the anus or in the anal canal
- itching in and around the anus
- discharge or bleeding from the anus
- pain or pressure around the anus
- painful areas around the anus in the absence of visible bumps or lesions
- open sores around the anus that don't heal
- a history of HPV infection
Diagnosing Anal Cancer
The key to early diagnosis is regular exams by your doctor. Using these diagnostic techniques, your doctor can diagnose your cancer early, improving your chance for a good outcome. The diagnostic techniques include:- Anal PAP Smear - taking a sample of cells from around the anus and looking at them under a microscope to identify cellular changes consistant with anal cancer.
- Direct Observation - assessing the anus and surrounding tissues using an anoscope (a small lighted scope inserted into the anus) that allows direct visualization of the area.
- A Manual Rectal Exam - the physician inserts a gloved finger into the anus in order to feel for any abnormal tumors, lumps, or areas of tenderness that may be present.
Biopsy - surgically removing bits of suspect tissue and examining it under the microscope for evidence of cancerous cells.
Is there a Treatment for Anal Cancer?
There are several methods of treatment for anal cancer, some more successful than others. They include:- Surgery - removal of the cancerous area and surrounding tissue surgically. Depending how advanced the cancer is, surgical removal can be very invasive with a significant recovery period.
- Radiation Therapy - radiation can be applied to the anal cancer by means of energy waves or small radioactive pellets. The goal of radiation therapy is to shrink the cancerous tumor.
- Chemotherapy - drugs that kill cancerous cells are given orally or by intravenous infusion, again in order to shrink the tumor. Chemotherapy can be affective but does cause several unpleasant side effects.
Opportunistic Infection Fact Sheets
Preventing Anal Cancer
As mentioned earlier, a high percentage of anal cancer cases are in people with HPV. Therefore it would follow that to decrease the risk of anal cancer you must decrease your exposure to HPV. This is done by using condoms with each and every sexual encounter. In addition, anyone with a history of benign lesions should have these lesions biopsied every 6 to 12 months. Finally, regular anal paps are thought to help detect anal cancer earlier.
Key Points of Prevention!
- condom use to decrease exposure to HPV
- regular biopsy every 6 - 12 months
- annual anal pap smears
