Are gay men more at risk for hpv

Some of these include: Tobacco use Alcohol and substance use Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection HIV. HPV Vaccination Strategies for LGBTQ+ Individuals HPV in the LGBTQ+ Community: Understanding the Risks Human Papillomavirus, commonly known as HPV, is a group of more than related viruses, with more than 40 types easily transmitted through sexual contact.

Understanding HPV Risks for

People chronically infected with hepatitis B have a greater lifetime risk of liver cancer. A positive HIV test result should alert a doctor to order other screening tests. Men who have sex with men are at higher risk for anal and oral cancers.

However, HPV is also associated with other cancers and conditions which affect men. Recognizing risk factors Gay and bisexual men are also more likely to have certain risk factors that increase their chances of getting certain types of cancer.

Read the latest about risk factors, the different stages of cancer, and the many ways it can be treated. Learn more about cancer, including its prevalence, different types, symptoms, and screening options. Hepatitis A is commonly passed through the stool to the mouth, and is another risk to the liver.

Signs of oropharyngeal cancer include a lump in the neck or a sore throat, which can occur with many other diseases. Some evidence suggests that men who have sex with men MSM have a slightly higher likelihood of being diagnosed with cancer. What is clear, however, is that two types of cancer pose a much higher risk for gay and bisexual men, and the reasons largely have to do with types of sexual activity.

A lack of routine health screenings and the unwillingness of some doctors to discuss sexuality can increase their patients' risk of cancer as well. Gay and bi men are more likely than their straight counterparts to have all three risk factors, according to Vanderbilt University Medical Center.

In addition, GBM in the US have a higher prevalence of some high-risk strains of HPV than in other regions. There is no national consensus on the need for anal cancer screening, but that may change if and when the U. Preventive Services Task Force issues a recommendation, which Nyitray believes will happen.

HPV Facts For LGBTQ

And the verdict is still out on how effective HPV vaccines are in preventing oropharyngeal cancers. Because gay and bisexual men are also at higher risk for hepatitis B, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention CDCthey may also have greater odds of developing liver cancer, which is driven by hepatitis B infection.

Kenneth Mayer, MD, the medical research director and cochair of the Fenway Institute in Boston, suggests four actions that reduce the risk of cancer for gay and bisexual men:. Oropharyngeal cancer which includes the back of the mouth and throat is the eighth most common cancer among all men in the United States, according to Cancer.

Despite the fact that HPV is the most common cause of anal cancer in men, those who have the highest risk remain woefully unaware, with studies suggesting that only about 25% of gay and bisexual men are knowledgeable about the relationship between HPV infection and anal cancer.

Learn about screenings and ways to reduce these risks with HPV and hepatitis B vaccinations. HPV vaccines have been used for over 15 years and are now approved for boys and men between ages 9 and The thinking behind the age cutoff is that by midlife, most men have had the bulk of their sexual partners and therefore have already been exposed to many strains of HPV.

But Mayer says there is still value in getting vaccinated later in life. The most common risk factors for oropharyngeal cancer include:. For gay or bisexual men and other MSM, the two biggest cancer risks are anal cancer and oral cancer. But doctors are not likely to automatically screen for anal cancer, or even give colorectal exams to detect prostate cancer, according to Alan Nyitray, PhDan associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral medicine at the Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee.

Studies estimate that gay and bi men and MSM are 20 times more likely than heterosexual men to develop anal cancer. This makes it harder for many gay and bisexual men to get high quality health care. Unlike for HPV infection in the anus, no test has been approved by the U.

For the vast majority of people, HPV goes away by itself within two years, and a very small number of people will progress to an HPV-related oropharyngeal cancer. Gay and bisexual males (GBM) in the US have higher risks of HPV infection and a higher incidence of HPV-associated anal cancer than heterosexual males.

According to the CDC, gay and bi men and MSM have a greater risk of hepatitis B, which spreads through semen and blood during sexual activity.