A Pap smear for men.The Pap smear Pap smear or Papanicolaou smear Sample of cells from the vagina and cervix of the uterus for laboratory staining and examination to detect genital herpes and early-stage cancer, especially of the cervix. Developed by the Greek-born U.S. , a screening tool used primarily to detect cervical cancer, has saved thousands of women's lives. Now researchers say it can do the same for gay men. A study published in the June issue of The America Journal of Medicine suggests that the test could reduce the rate of anal cancer among men who have sex with men Men who have sex with men (MSM) is a term used mostly in the United States to classify men who engage in sex with other men, regardless of whether they self-identify as gay, bisexual, or heterosexual. . Like cervical cancer, anal cancer is caused by the human papillomavirus, the most, common sexually transmitted disease sexually transmitted disease (STD) or venereal disease, term for infections acquired mainly through sexual contact. Five diseases were traditionally known as venereal diseases: gonorrhea, syphilis, and the less common granuloma inguinale, . The cancer is more common in gay men than in straight men, and it is estimated that up to 35 of every 100,000 gay and bisexual men develop the disease each year. "We've stopped short of calling for implementation of HPV HPV human papillomavirus. HPV abbr. human papilloma virus Human papilloma virus (HPV) screening in gay and bisexual men for the simple practical reason that there is a paucity of trained clinicians to treat men" who are found to have precancerous precancerous /pre·can·cer·ous/ (-kan´ser-us) pertaining to a pathologic process that tends to become malignant. pre·can·cer·ous adj. cells, said the study's senior author, Joel Palefsky. Currently gay men in San Francisco, New York, and Boston have access to treatment. Training programs are currently being implemented for physicians in other areas. |
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