RENWL

Anal Cancer Reality Check For Gay/Bi Men, Lesbians “Dense Risk Factors” For Breast Cancer

According to the Department of Health and Human Services, Center for Disease Control and Prevention, men who have sex with men are 17 times more likely to develop anal cancer than their straight counterparts.

The cause says CDC, stems from human papillomavirus (HPV), a common virus that most sexually active men and women whatever their sexual orientation–will contract at some point in their lives. While developing anal cancer is uncommon among most men with healthy immune systems, the CDC points out nonetheless that gay and bisexual men are 17 times at greater risk to develop anal cancer. The CDC also states that men with weakened immune systems—which includes those infected with HIV—are also at a higher risk for anal cancer. HIV positive men are more likely to get severe cases of genital warts that are difficult to treat.

Some of the latest cancer data isn’t all that encouraging on the lesbian front, either. Breast cancer among lesbians is also a concern, says a news release from the American Cancer Society which warned that “lesbians have a dense cluster of risk factors significantly raising their risk” of the disease.

All of the above is sobering information particularly with LGBT health provisions removed from the healthcare reform legislation recently approved by Congress. That and the recent revelation from the LGBT Cancer Project that gays and lesbians are often excluded from clinical trials. According to a recent study, based on detailed information on over 80,000 clinical trials sponsored by the National Institutes of Health, other governmental agencies and private industry, found that 15 percent of the trials used criteria that explicitly excluded homosexual participants.

Rebecca Fox, LGBTQ health advocate

Now here’s the good news—sorta. The LGBT community still has good reason to be optimistic about the recent healthcare legislation. Rebecca Fox, Executive Director of the National Coalition for LGBT Health stated on the org’s Web site the following:

“The passed legislation includes many efforts that will improve the health of the LGBT community, including an emphasis on prevention, increased data collection, and a greater concentration on public health. We know that the LGBT community suffers from increased health disparities and that one of our greatest disparities is lack of access to health insurance, and this bill takes steps to alleviate this issue.”

BUT she also says:

“The National Coalition for LGBT Health remains concerned about several negative aspects of the bill. All people, regardless of immigration status, deserve access to health care, and this will harm members of the LGBT community without documentation. In addition, abstinence-only-until-marriage programs have been proven time and time again to be not only ineffective, but potentially harmful to LGBT youth and youth from LGBT families. We are saddened that a bill to increase the health of our country includes such hurtful provisions.”

Sigh. Okay kids. We have our work cut out.  By wonderful stroke of luck next week marks the beginning of LGBT Health Awareness Week 2010. Look for our post on Sunday about how you can participate to help support LGBT health awareness and close the gap on healthcare disparities between LGBTs and heterosexuals in this country.

Information and resources:

CDC: PDF—HPV & Men Fact Sheet (includes anal cancer information)

American Cancer Society: PDF—Fact Sheet Revised-Lesbians and Bisexual Women

LGBT Cancer Project (press release): Some Clinical Trials Exclude Gays And Lesbians

The National Coalition for LGBT Health: Healthcare Reform Passes the House