Anal Cancer Rates Rising Among Older Women, New Study Warns

Fresh research highlights a surprising trend in anal cancer rates, pinpointing one group seeing the biggest increase.

A recent study has raised concerns that anal cancer cases might be climbing — and researchers have identified the group facing the highest risk.

The study looked into new data collected by the National Cancer Institute between 2017 and 2021.

What stood out was that one specific demographic was experiencing a noticeable spike in cases.

Anal cancer starts in the anal canal, which is the short passage at the very end of the digestive tract, just before the anus.

Symptoms of anal cancer can include things like bleeding, discomfort or pain around the anus, and even blood in your stool. It might also show up as a lump or growth, which can sometimes be mistaken for something more common like hemorrhoids.

In the study presented at Digestive Disease Week, scientists reported that from 2017 to 2021, cases of anal cancer rose by 2.9 percent among women and by 1.6 percent in men.

“Rates of anal cancer are rising fastest among white and Hispanic women over 65 – groups not traditionally considered high risk,” said lead researcher Dr Ashley Robinson, who is currently in her second year of internal medicine residency at Advocate Lutheran General Hospital.

Who’s most at risk of anal cancer?

The research pointed out that women over 65 have seen the sharpest increase, with a jump of 4.3 percent in recent years.

Hispanic women in the same age category weren’t far behind, with a yearly increase of around 1.7 percent.

If this trend carries on, experts believe that anal cancer cases among women over 65 could potentially double in under two decades.

While the exact cause of the increase isn’t clear just yet, Dr Robinson thinks it may be linked to the HPV vaccine.

Although the vaccine is widely recommended now, women in the older age group may have missed out on it when they were younger.

Most anal cancers are connected to HPV, which is a very common virus spread through skin-to-skin contact.

The HPV vaccine was first made available in the United States back in 2006.

The vaccine helps reduce your chances of getting HPV, which is usually spread during sexual activity. It’s designed to prevent the types of HPV that can lead to different forms of cancer.

Certain types of HPV are known to be linked to cancers such as cervical, penile, anal, and cancers in the mouth, vulva, and vagina.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advises that people up to 26 years old should get vaccinated, ideally before they become sexually active.

This is mainly because the vaccine works best if it’s given before any exposure to HPV. Once someone has already contracted the virus, the shot becomes less effective.

In the UK, kids aged 12 to 13 are routinely offered the vaccine as part of public health efforts to prevent HPV-related cancers later in life.

“It’s crucial that we promote HPV vaccination as a key tool for preventing anal cancer, while also keeping health care providers informed as screening guidelines evolve,” Dr Robinson explained.

“These findings highlight specific patient groups who may benefit from targeted screening for anal HPV and anal cancer.”

At the moment, older women aren’t routinely screened for anal cancer. But the findings from this study suggest that screening this group might actually be helpful in catching cases early.