Persons engaging in anal sex more at risk of anal cancer- Oncologist warns

Consultant Radiation and Clinical Oncologist at the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital Enugu, Dr. Nwamaka Lasebikan has cautioned Nigerians against engaging in anal sex, noting that indulging in the act put them at risk of anal cancer.

Nwamaka also warned that both men and women engaging in anal sex have an increased risk of developing anal cancer.

She stated that most anal cancers are related to human papillomavirus infection, adding that the transmission rate is higher in individuals who have numerous sexual partners.

Anal cancer is an uncommon type of cancer as it mainly occurs in the anal canal, experts say.

According to the National Cancer Institute, anal cancer is a disease in which malignant (cancer) cells form in the tissues of the anus.

Speaking further in an interview with PUNCH Healthwise, Nwamaka who is also the director of oncology at UNTH added that other factors could put an individual at risk for anal cancers.

The oncologist said, “HPV is a risk factor for anal cancer and the transmission rate is higher in people with multiple sexual partners.

“There are other risk factors for anal cancer such as men having sex with men, having a disease that causes a weakened immune system eg human immunodeficiency virus, having many sexual partners and having receptive anal sex.”

According to the expert, men are at a higher risk of developing anal cancer from anal sex because gay and bisexual men often engage in anal intercourse.

She added, “Although the occurrence is not common, however, with the increasing number of men having sex with men the trend may start to increase.”

Nwamaka said when an individual has anal cancer, “They would experience symptoms such as pain in the area around the anus, anal discharge, a change in bowel habits, bleeding and or discharge from the anus or rectum, etc.

When asked about the treatment methods for anal cancer, the oncologist said, “Surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy are the treatment options.”

The oncologist warned that “Having multiple sexual partners is a risk factor as is having anal sex. Using barrier methods would be protective as well as reducing the number of sexual partners. Screening for premalignant lesions and HPV is advised.”

A recent study posted online by the National Library of Medicine confirmed anal sex as a risk factor for anal cancer in both men and women.

The researchers conducted in-person interviews with 102 males and 106 females with squamous or transitional cell carcinoma of the anus and 208 individually matched controls.

Results from the findings of the study revealed that “Compared with persons who had never experienced receptive anal intercourse, those who had experienced it more than 130 times were 18 times as likely to develop anal cancer.

“This elevated risk occurred primarily among males.

“A history of other anogenital or endometrial cancers increased the risk in women but not men. A history of anal warts, syphilis, severe haemorrhoids, physical inactivity, multiple sexual partners who smoked, and current smoking was also associated with increased risk.”

The study authors, however, said, “The results of this study suggest that both sexual and non-sexual factors are important in the etiology of anal cancer.”

According to Cancer Research United Kingdom, the risk of developing anal cancer depends on many things, including age and lifestyle factors. Having HPV is the biggest risk factor for anal cancer.

It said, “Men and women with HPV have an increased risk of developing anal cancer. Around 90 in 100 cases of anal cancer (around 90 per cent) are linked to HPV infection.

“HPV is a common infection that gets passed from one person to another by sexual contact. For most people, the virus causes no harm and goes away without treatment.

“Most of us have HPV at some point during our life. But for most people, it won’t cause anal cancer. Anything that can increase your risk of cancer is called a risk factor. Those that lower the risk are called protective factors.

“Having one or more risk factors doesn’t mean that you will get anal cancer.

“People who have anal intercourse may have an increased risk of anal cancer. This could be due to the increased risk of HPV infection. Using condoms every time you have sex can lower your chances of getting HPV. But HPV can infect areas that are not covered by a condom so they don’t reduce the risk completely.”

Also, a study conducted by researchers in Denmark and Sweden confirmed the link between unsafe sexual practices and anal cancer.

The population-based case-control study titled ‘Sexually transmitted infection as a cause of anal cancer’ published online in 1997 by the National Center for Biotechnology Information provided strong evidence that sexually transmitted infections cause anal cancer.

The researchers conducted telephone interviews with 324 women and 93 men in whom invasive or in situ anal cancer was diagnosed between 1991 and 1994, 534 controls with adenocarcinoma of the rectum, and 554 population controls.

The interviews, the researchers said, “covered a wide spectrum of possible risk factors for anal cancer. Odds ratios were calculated by logistic regression. Specimens of anal-cancer tissue and samples of rectal adenocarcinomas were tested for human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA with the polymerase chain reaction”.

The study, the researchers said, “revealed consistent and statistically significant associations between measures of sexual promiscuity and the risk of anal cancer in both men and women.”