As a study found that anal cancer rates in the United States have increased in the past 15 years, researchers have held the sexually transmitted human papillomavirus (HPV) responsible.
Lead study author Dr. Ashish Deshmukh said, “What was very shocking to us was that the rate and incidence of anal cancer has increased very fast.”
He explained that anal cancer cases and death have been increasing by 3 percent every year.
The study also found that anal cancer rates and deaths were more among older people and black men. In addition, the diagnosis of advanced-stage anal cancer increased by 7 percent each year.
Dr. Deshmukh noted that if anal cancer is diagnosed and treated early, the five-year survival rate is nearly 70 percent.
HPV can be prevented with a vaccine, which is given in two doses to boys and girls before the age of 15. However, more than 50 percent of Americans are unvaccinated, which could increase the risk of new infections in the near future.
Dr. Deshmukh said that HPV vaccine is to prevent cancer and not to prevent sexually transmitted diseases.
Dr. Arun Swaminath, director of the Inflammatory Bowel Disease Program at Lenox Hill Hospital, NYC, said, “It’s clear that the incidence of anal cancers is increasing.”
He noted that bisexual men, gay, smokers, obese people, and HPV-infected women are more likely at risk of developing anal cancer.
Dr. Swaminath added, “The silver lining is that given that 90 percent of anal cancers are due to HPV, that there is a vaccine.”
He explained that the anal cancer rates could be controlled if many American get vaccinated. “Given the vaccine has only been available for a decade, it will take time for us to see the curve of new cancer cases bending downward,” added Dr. Swaminath.
