Friday, August 8, 2025
Science
No Result
View All Result
  • Login
  • HOME
  • SCIENCE NEWS
  • CONTACT US
  • HOME
  • SCIENCE NEWS
  • CONTACT US
No Result
View All Result
Scienmag
No Result
View All Result
Home Science News Cancer

US geographic region results in vastly different anal cancer risk for people with HIV

May 7, 2024
in Cancer
Reading Time: 4 mins read
0
Ashish Deshmukh, Ph.D.
65
SHARES
595
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

A new study that followed a cohort of more than 110,000 people establishes significant disparities in the risk of anal cancer for people with HIV and for men who have sex with men with HIV, depending on the region of the country they live in.  

Ashish Deshmukh, Ph.D.

Credit: MUSC Hollings Cancer Center

A new study that followed a cohort of more than 110,000 people establishes significant disparities in the risk of anal cancer for people with HIV and for men who have sex with men with HIV, depending on the region of the country they live in.  

It’s known that people with HIV have the highest risk of anal cancer, said lead author Ashish A. Deshmukh, Ph.D., co-leader of the Cancer Control Research Program at MUSC Hollings Cancer Center.  

But this study, published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute on May 7, is the first to show vast geographic disparities in anal cancer risk and an association with opportunistic illnesses and co-morbidities, like diabetes, chronic kidney disease and cardiovascular disease, for people with HIV.  

Almost all cases of anal cancer are caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV). It seems that there’s some as-yet-unknown effect, such as inflammation, in people with co-morbidities that allows the HPV to gain a foothold and cause cancer to develop, the paper notes. 

People with HIV have a greater relative risk of anal cancer compared with people without HIV, no matter where they live. But the study showed that the relative risk varies across the country – it’s higher for people with HIV in the Midwest or South than the West or Northeast.  

“In the Northeast, the risk for people with HIV compared to people without HIV is 16-fold higher,” Deshmukh said. “But for people with HIV in the Midwest, the risk increases to almost 47.5-fold, reaching nearly 100-fold for men who have sex with men with HIV.”  

Deshmukh has a few preliminary theories about the causes of these differences but cautioned that this study doesn’t attempt to determine the reasons.  

“The objective was to understand whether there are disparities and what may be important risk factors,” he said. The results of this study provide the foundation for further research into the causes underlying these disparities.  

However, he noted that screening rates for anal cancer are relatively higher in the Northeast and West. New York state, for example, stands out as the only state with established guidelines for anal cancer screening, a rarity given the absence of national guidelines and the lack of specific protocols in other states for this relatively rare cancer, among the general population.  

Various professional societies have begun to develop screening guidelines. In fact, Deshmukh contributed to the recent International Anal Neoplasia Society’s consensus guidelines, published in January.  

Those guidelines started with the premise of beginning screening at specific ages based on risk – for example, beginning screening at age 35 for men with HIV who have sex with men and 45 for women with HIV and other men with HIV.  

However, this new study suggests that guidelines should consider risk factors like previous opportunistic illnesses or having had a CD4 count below 200. CD4 count is the number of CD4 T-cells, a type of white blood cell, in the blood. A count above 500 is considered healthy, but a count below 200 can trigger an AIDS diagnosis.  

Deshmukh said that he hopes to see the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force develop guidelines for anal cancer screening. The task force previously determined that there wasn’t enough information about the risk-benefit balance of anal cancer screening to issue guidelines, Deshmukh said.  

However, his ongoing research will provide direct evidence quantifying the potential harms versus benefits of screening for anal cancer among people with HIV. 

“We hope that the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force will again take on this topic and evaluate the evidence once we have more data on the harms and benefits of anal cancer screening,” he said.  

The current paper notes that anal cancer among people with HIV appears to be on the decline. However, it warns that geographic disparities could increase if the differences in screening activity remain.  

This work was supported by grants from the National Institutes of Health and the Canadian Institues of Health Research. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

About  MUSC Hollings Cancer Center 

MUSC Hollings Cancer Center is South Carolina’s only National Cancer Institute-designated cancer center with the largest academic-based cancer research program in the state. The cancer center comprises more than 140 faculty cancer scientists and 20 academic departments. It has an annual research funding portfolio of more than $50 million and sponsors more than 200 clinical trials across the state. Dedicated to preventing and reducing the cancer burden statewide, the Hollings Office of Community Outreach and Engagement works with community organizations to bring cancer education and prevention information to affected populations. Hollings offers state-of-the-art cancer screening, diagnostic capabilities, therapies and surgical techniques within its multidisciplinary clinics. Hollings specialists include surgeons, medical oncologists, radiation oncologists, radiologists, pathologists, psychologists and other clinical providers equipped to provide the full range of cancer care. For more information, visit hollingscancercenter.musc.edu. 



Journal

JNCI Journal of the National Cancer Institute

DOI

10.1093/jnci/djae096

Article Title

Recent and projected incidence trends and risk of anal cancer among people with HIV in North America

Article Publication Date

7-May-2024

COI Statement

Drs. Deshmukh and Sonawane have provided consultancy to Value Analytics Labs on unrelated projects. Dr. Deshmukh served as a member of the scientific advisory board on unrelated projects for Merck.

Share26Tweet16
Previous Post

Albert Einstein College of Medicine names Yoon Kang, M.D., Vice Dean for Education

Next Post

Chimps learn and improve tool-using skills even as adults

Related Posts

blank
Cancer

Revolutionary 3D CT Guide for Nasal Surgery

August 8, 2025
blank
Cancer

Metastatic Gastric Cancer: Survival Varies by Site

August 8, 2025
blank
Cancer

Bendamustine Triggers ER Stress Apoptosis in Breast Cancer

August 8, 2025
blank
Cancer

Exploring Renal Pseudotumors in Pediatric Imaging

August 8, 2025
blank
Cancer

Epigenetics Links BTN3A2, S100A12, TRIM27 to Immunity

August 8, 2025
blank
Cancer

ncRNA Drives Trastuzumab Resistance in HER2 Tumors

August 8, 2025
Next Post
Chimps learn and improve tool-using skills even as adults

Chimps learn and improve tool-using skills even as adults

  • Mothers who receive childcare support from maternal grandparents show more parental warmth, finds NTU Singapore study

    Mothers who receive childcare support from maternal grandparents show more parental warmth, finds NTU Singapore study

    27531 shares
    Share 11009 Tweet 6881
  • University of Seville Breaks 120-Year-Old Mystery, Revises a Key Einstein Concept

    942 shares
    Share 377 Tweet 236
  • Bee body mass, pathogens and local climate influence heat tolerance

    641 shares
    Share 256 Tweet 160
  • Researchers record first-ever images and data of a shark experiencing a boat strike

    507 shares
    Share 203 Tweet 127
  • Warm seawater speeding up melting of ‘Doomsday Glacier,’ scientists warn

    310 shares
    Share 124 Tweet 78
Science

Embark on a thrilling journey of discovery with Scienmag.com—your ultimate source for cutting-edge breakthroughs. Immerse yourself in a world where curiosity knows no limits and tomorrow’s possibilities become today’s reality!

RECENT NEWS

  • Revolutionary 3D CT Guide for Nasal Surgery
  • Enhanced Heat Flux Under Antarctic Sea Ice Revealed
  • Sun Coral Thrives Post-Management in Brazil’s Marine Reserve
  • Special Journal Issue Highlights Disability in the Black Community and Urges Culturally Tailored Counseling Approaches

Categories

  • Agriculture
  • Anthropology
  • Archaeology
  • Athmospheric
  • Biology
  • Bussines
  • Cancer
  • Chemistry
  • Climate
  • Earth Science
  • Marine
  • Mathematics
  • Medicine
  • Pediatry
  • Policy
  • Psychology & Psychiatry
  • Science Education
  • Social Science
  • Space
  • Technology and Engineering

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Join 4,858 other subscribers

© 2025 Scienmag - Science Magazine

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
No Result
View All Result
  • HOME
  • SCIENCE NEWS
  • CONTACT US

© 2025 Scienmag - Science Magazine

Discover more from Science

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading