Why some gay men are getting this test to detect the early signs of a specific cancer

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Have you ever thought of having an anal pap smear? Gay and bi men have a higher risk of getting anal cancer – especially if they bottom during sex. Because of this, many experts believe it worthwhile for men who have sex with men to be screened for the early stages of the disease.

Know nothing about anal cancer screening? Let’s answer a few basic questions!

What is anal cancer?

Well… as the name suggests, it’s cancer of your anus: that’s the hole through which you poop and through which many guys like to get penetrated during sex.

The majority of anal cancers are linked to HPV (human papillomavirus) infection. HPV is also linked to cancers of the cervix, penis, and throat.

Each year, around 14,000 men in the US get HPV-associated cancers – the majority of these are throat-related (over 11,000), with anal cancer accounting for around 2,000 cases.

Compared to other cancers, anal cancer is rare. However, HPV infection is very common. In the US, it’s estimated that around 80 million adults are infected with HPV, and many will never know they have it.

Related: “Behind Closed Drawers” Awareness Campaign Doesn’t Want You To Get Anal Cancer

What increases the risk of anal cancer?

Having HPV makes anal cancer more likely, but as already stated, lots of people have HPV and it won’t develop into anything serious or life-threatening. Receptive anal sex (“bottoming”) and people with multiple sexual partners have an increased risk, while being HIV positive raises the risk significantly further.

A recent US study found anal cancer had risen five-fold in….

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