The number of anal cancer cases in the US is rising, and the spike is greater among the older women.
In a recent study, presented at Digestive Disease Week, scientists found that anal cancer cases have increased by 2.9 per cent for women and 1.6 per cent for men in the years between 2017 and 2021.
“Rates of anal cancer are rising fastest among white and Hispanic women over 65 – groups not traditionally considered high risk,” said lead author Dr Ashley Robinson, a second-year internal medicine resident at Advocate Lutheran General Hospital.
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According to the research, women over the age of 65 have seen the biggest increase, with a 4.3 per cent rise. At the same time, Hispanic women in the same age range increased by 1.7% annually. Scientists estimate that in less than 17 years, the number of anal cancer cases in women over 65 could double if the current trend continues.
The study’s lead author, Dr Ashley Robinson, attributes this trend to the limited availability of the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine when these women were younger. HPV is responsible for approximately 90% of anal cancer cases.
Currently, there is no national screening program for anal cancer in the US.
Anal cancer is a rare type of cancer that forms in the tissues of the anus—the opening at the end of the digestive tract. It is most commonly caused by persistent infection with the human papillomavirus (HPV). Other risk factors include having multiple sexual partners, receptive anal intercourse, a weakened immune system (such as in people with HIV), smoking, and a history of cervical or vulvar cancer. Early symptoms may include rectal bleeding, pain, itching, or a lump near the anus.
