Gay men are twice as likely to have Cancer

It does for an Adult Erotic Gay Video title, but are really more gay likely to develop cancer? A new study published in the journal Cancer found that gay men were almost two times more likely to report a cancer diagnosis than men to right. But why?

The study has not responded to this question. It is unclear, for example, if gay men were more likely to develop cancer than men of right, if they were more likely to be diagnosed or are they more likely to survive and to report to it.

Similar data for women found no difference in the rate of cancer by sexual orientation; However, the study concluded that lesbian and bisexual cancer survivors were more likely to self-assessment of fair or poor health than heterosexual women. State of health does not differ by the sexual orientation of men.

Researchers led by Ulrike Boehmer of Boston University School of Public Health analyzed three years data on more than 120 000 adults who completed the California Health Interview Survey. Among other issues, respondents were asked about their sexual orientation, and if they had never been diagnosed cancer.

51 000 Men, approximately 3,690 reported having had cancer: they represented 8% of gay men and 5% of the men of right. the increased risk among gay men is not due to other factors like race, income level or age.

Among 71 000 women, 7,252 reported a diagnosis of cancer, but the rate of diagnosis is the same regardless of sexual orientation. But who identified lesbian or bisexual women were more than twice as likely to fair health or bad report that straight women after surviving cancer.

Once more, the study did not delve into the reasons for the disparities in cancer diagnosis rates, but the authors say that the gay community is more vulnerable to cancer risk factors. For example, gay men and lesbians are more likely to abuse alcohol that their straight peers - they are known contributors to cancer and smoking.

Gays and lesbians are also less likely to get routine cancer screening and balances grounds of discrimination seen doctors, said Liz Margolies, Executive Director of the National of LGBT Cancer network.

The highest rates of HIV infection among gay men than men of right could also contribute to explain the difference: HIV patients have a higher risk of anal, lung and testicular cancer and Hodgkin's Lymphoma (HIV status was outside the scope of the étudeCependant).

Another factor that may affect health in the LGBT community is "minority stress," lead author Boehmer said, referring to psychological stress endured by the minority groups of prejudice or discrimination. MyHealthNewsDaily reported:

"it has been my experience that the quality of life that lesbians report after a diagnosis of cancer does not reveal as much on the specific diagnosis, but on our life experience in General, more particularly when facing a major crisis of life" as a diagnosis of cancera change in relationship or job loss, said Linda Ellis, Executive Director of the Atlanta Georgia Lesbian Health Initiative, which did not participate in the study.

It is not that lesbian or bisexual women walked more depressed than their straight peers, said Ellis. But each new outgoing person, be it the new nurse at the clinic of chemo or members of the cancer support group, took a lot of energy, she said. ... In addition, he is not unusual for Lesbian or bisexual women have broken ties with the family, this natural circle of a support person can be weakened, she said.

The current was not designed to measure the potential contributors to the risk of cancer and health in the LGBT community. But the results suggest that public health officials should pay more attention to the gay, Lesbian and bisexual population - especially when it's screening and prevention of cancer.

In April, a report by the Institute of medicine proposed to include sexual orientation information in medical records and studies of the Government as a means to increase the understanding of the health risks that may be specific to the gay and lesbian community.

"At a time when lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals - often referred to as the acronym LGBT umbrella - become more visible in society and more socially recognized, clinicians and researchers are faced incomplete information about their State of health""," said the report.