{{Homosexuality and health}}In June of 2004, the journal ''Nursing Clinics of North America'' reported concerning '''homosexuality and anal cancer''':{{Homosexuality and health}}{{cquote|One of the more pressing issues for [[homosexuality|gay men]] is anal carcinoma. Several recent studies have indicated the rate of anal dysplasia to be increasing in men with and without [[HIV]]. Ninety percent of men with HIV have the [[HPV|human papiloma viruspapilomavirus]] (HPV), while 65% of men without HIV have HPV. HPV type 16 is the most troublesome for developing cancer and is found in a significant portion of gay men.
Another risk factor for developing anal cancer is the use of recreational drugs anally...Inserting "crystal [[methamphetamine |meth]]" or ecstasy in the rectum can lead to higher rates of anal dylpasiadysplasia.<ref>[http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=15159188 Nursing Clinics of North America North Am. 2004 Jun;39(2):404]</ref>}}
In 1997, [[Concerned Women of America]] reported relative to [[homosexuality]] and anal cancer:
{{cquote|Homosexual men's practice of anal sex has left many of them victims of anal cancer. One article in the New England Journal of Medicine commented, "Our study lends strong support to the hypothesis that homosexual behavior in men increases the risk of anal cancer: 21 of the 57 men with anal cancer (37 percent) reported that they were homosexual or bisexual, in contrast to only one of 64 controls." The Journal of the American Medical Association also published similar findings: "Epidemiological studies have shown that risk factors for anal cancer include homosexuality, history of receptive anal intercourse, presence of anal condylomata, and smoking." And the International Journal of Cancer stated, "Being single and having practiced anal intercourse appears to be associated with anal cancer and case reports have suggested a recent increase in the number of cases of anal cancer." Other studies have yielded the same conclusions.<ref>[http://www.cwfa.org/articles/959/CWA/family/index.htm Concerned Women of America - Health and Homosexuality]</ref>}}
== American Journal of Medicine says homosexual men should be checked for anal cancer ==
On May 31, 2000, WebMD published an article entitled ''Gay Men Should Be Checked for Anal Cancer, Experts Say'' which declared:
{{cquote|Gay and bisexual men are at significant risk for developing anal cancer, and testing them for the disease would save many lives, says a new study in the ''American Journal of Medicine''...
Stephen Goldstone, MD...tells WebMD he's been screening and treating gay men for anal cancer for several years and has found that 2.5% of these men have the disease.<ref>[http://www.webmd.com/cancer/news/20000531/gay-men-should-be-checked-for-anal-cancer-experts-say Gay Men Should Be Checked for Anal Cancer, Experts Say - WebMD]</ref>}}
==See also==
*[[Homosexuality and health]]
*[[Homosexuality]]
== External links ==
*[http://www.nzaf.org.nz/news-and-media/news/anal-cancer-growing-issue-for-gay-men/ Anal cancer: A growing issue for homosexual men]
==References==