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HPV type 39 linked to anal dysplasia, better screening needed for HIV+ men and women
Liz Highleyman, 2013-09-25 07:30:00
About two-thirds of gay men and one-fifth of women tested in Spain were found to have cell or tissue abnormalities that could progress to anal cancer, and both groups could benefit from more widespread and accurate testing, researchers reported at the 53rd Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy (ICAAC) last week in Denver. The men's study found that human papillomavirus (HPV) type 39 was a key risk factor.
HPV can trigger abnormal cell growth ranging from warts to cancer. Certain high-risk or oncogenic types including HPV 16 and HPV 18 cause anal, cervical, and other genital cancers. These typically begin as low-grade dysplasia (also known as squamous intraepithelial lesions or intraepithelial neoplasia) and can progress to high-grade lesions and carcinoma if left untreated. Low-risk types including HPV 6 and HPV 11 cause genital warts. However, high-risk types do not always cause dysplasia, low-grade neoplasia does always progress to high-grade lesions or cancer and lesions may regress on their own without treatment.
Anal cancer is more common amongst people with HIV than it is in the general population, and is especially high amongst men who have sex with men (MSM). Although cervical cancer is considered an AIDS-defining malignancy, anal cancer is not so classified. Regular cervical cytology (often referred to as Pap or smear tests) is recommended for both HIV-positive and HIV-negative women to catch abnormalities at an early stage, but clinical practices for screening, preventing and treating anal cancer vary widely.
Carmen Hidalgo from Hospital Universitario Virgen de las Nieves in Granada, Spain, and colleagues reported findings from studies looking at HPV infection, anal dysplasia, and predictive factors in men and women with HIV.
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