VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA — Gaps in Canada’s response to anal cancer are resulting in late diagnoses and preventable deaths. Women (both cisgender and trans), queer men, and people living with HIV experience disproportionate harms from anal cancer. Studies show that queer men who are HIV-negative are 19 times more likely, and those living with HIV are 85 times more likely to develop anal cancer than the general population.1
A new report by CBRC, Alarming and Often Overlooked: Addressing anal cancer among GBT2Q people, highlights Canada’s shortcomings in responding to anal cancer and calls for change. The report outlines how provincial, territorial, and federal governments can ensure all Canadians are receiving the care they need to prevent and respond to anal cancer.
“A lack of knowledge among healthcare providers and very limited resources and infrastructure mean many people miss opportunities to prevent or respond early to anal cancer,” says CBRC’s Executive Director, Michael Kwag. “We have effective techniques to screen and prevent anal cancer, like anal Pap tests, yet these are rarely offered to people who could benefit from them.”
Screening techniques for anal cancer are comparable to those that exist for cervical cancer. These include anal Pap tests and high resolution anoscopy which allow for early detection of cancer, as well as precancerous lesions, which can be treated.
The report calls for more resources to improve healthcare providers’ capacity to offer anal cancer screening and prevention, and for the linkage of anal cancer screening with HIV treatment routines, as people living with HIV are more likely to develop anal cancer and other HPV-related cancers. It also calls upon the federal government to fund further research to maximize the benefits of screening and treatment options and develop national guidelines for healthcare providers.
“One of the greatest barriers to anal cancer prevention is that it’s rarely discussed,” says Kwag. “Many who could benefit from this care, including queer men and trans women, don’t know it exists.”
Yet, evidence suggests those at risk will often seek care once they learn about the issue.2 Along with concrete actions from the government, the report also calls for those impacted to be engaged at every step, with particular attention to HIV-positive queer men, who are impacted most by anal cancer, as well as trans, non-binary, and racialized communities who are often underrepresented in research. Engaging communities that are most at risk of anal cancer will increase awareness and uptake of evidence-based interventions.
About CBRC
Community-Based Research Centre promotes the health of people of diverse sexualities and genders through research and intervention development. CBRC’s core pillars of community-led research, knowledge exchange, network building, and leadership development position the organization as a thought leader, transforming ideas into actions that make a difference in our communities. CBRC was incorporated in 1999 and is a non-profit charitable organization. Our main office is located in Vancouver, British Columbia; we also have satellite offices located in Edmonton, Toronto, and Halifax.
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For interviews, please contact:
Michael Ianni
Media Relations Officer, CBRC
[email protected]
604.345.7689
1Clifford GM, Georges D, Shiels MS, Engels EA, Albuquerque A, Poynten IM, et al. A meta-analysis of anal cancer incidence by risk group: toward a unified anal cancer risk scale. Int J Cancer. 2021;148(1):38–47.
2Fuchs MA, Multani AG, Mayer KH, Keuroghlian AS. Anal cancer screening for HIV-Negative men who have sex with men: making clinical decisions with limited data. LGBT Health. 2021;8(5):317–21.
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