Anal Sex and Anal Cancer

Many years ago I attended a conference that was focused on how to empower myself on helping men having sex with men (MSM) within the context of sexually transmitted diseases. However, what struck me was a statement made by the speaker that ‘men and women have more anal sex than homosexuals do so it would be a mistake to limit issues surrounding anal sex to just the confines of homosexuality’. He is probably right and the rise of Anal Cancer in both men and woman is proof of this.

Anal cancer used to be very rare but not anymore at least relatively. The incidence of this disease is also increasing.

As you know, the anus is at the tail end of the gastrointestinal system that starts way up with the mouth. The anal canal connects with the rectum inside and ends with an opening on the outside. It is surrounded by a powerful sphincter muscle that controls what comes out by rhythmically contracting and relaxing when it senses that fecal matter is on its way out.

As you would have noted, the stimulus to relax or contract is coming from inside (way up). This is in contrast to the vagina. The stimuli that help the vagina relax or contract is from the outside.

This is why anal sex, unlike vagina sex, is particularly traumatic because it fails to expand to accommodate, it remains tight. The trauma makes the transmission of infections easier because of broken tiny blood vessels and epithelial lining (which otherwise is protective when intact).

The primary culprit for developing anal cancer is a sexually transmitted infection with the human papilloma virus (HPV).

This is the same virus that is responsible most of the time for causing cervical cancer. However, unlike cervical cancer, there is no routine PAP smear testing to prevent anal cancer.

While it is true that both men and women who receive anal sex have a greater risk for developing anal cancer, there are other compounding factors.

The more the sexual partners you have, the more likely you are going be infected with the HPV and then perhaps anal cancer.

Smokers are also likely to develop anal cancer than none smokers.

You should be okay if you use condoms right? Am afraid the answer to that is NO!

Sadly, condoms don’t protect against HPV infection.

It is not all gloomy news, Gardasil vaccine originally approved for cervical cancer prevention will help you towards mitigating the chances of contracting the HPV. However, this is not enough.

It is important to state at this point that anal cancer described above is not the same as colorectal cancer.

Finally, from a public health standpoint, it is important for health authorities to agree on ‘a form of PAP smear’ for people who practice anal sex seeing that the incidence of anal cancer is on the rise!