ArticleBMC public health2015
Why are we not screening for anal cancer routinely - HIV physicians' perspectives on anal cancer and its screening in HIV-positive men who have sex with men: a qualitative study.
Article in BMC public health, 2015. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 18 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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Who cites it
18 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 36 citations in OpenAlex.
- Barriers and facilitators to anal cancer screening among men who have sex with men: a systematic review with narrative synthesis.BMC cancer · 2025Pooled it
- Trial
- Elimination of HPV-associated cancers: universal HPV vaccination and the role of anal screening - a meeting report.BMC proceedings · 2026Article
- Facilitator and barrier perspectives on learning and implementing high-resolution anoscopy in Abuja, Nigeria: a qualitative study.BMC cancer · 2025Article
- Prevalence of anal cytology screening among persons with HIV and lack of access to high-resolution anoscopy at HIV care facilities.Journal of the National Cancer Institute · 2024Article
- Barriers and facilitators to anal cancer screening among people living with HIV in Puerto Rico.BMC public health · 2023Article
- Incidence and mortality of non-AIDS-defining cancers among people living with HIV: A systematic review and meta-analysis.EClinicalMedicine · 2022Article
- Anal cancer screening among women with HIV: provider experiences and system-level challenges.AIDS care · 2022Article
- Intra-Anal Imiquimod Cream against Human Papillomavirus Infection in Men Who Have Sex with Men Living with HIV: A Single-Arm, Open-Label Pilot Study.Journal of clinical medicine · 2021Article
- Anal Cancer Screening for HIV-Negative Men Who Have Sex with Men: Making Clinical Decisions with Limited Data.LGBT health · 2021Article
- Facilitators and Barriers to Take Up Clinician-Collected and Self-Collected HPV Tests among Chinese Men Who Have Sex with Men.Viruses · 2021Article
- Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Anus Incidence, Mortality, and Survival Among the General Population and Persons Living With HIV in Puerto Rico, 2000-2016.JCO global oncology · 2021Article
- Raman-Enhanced Spectroscopy Distinguishes Anal Squamous Intraepithelial Lesions in Human Immunodeficiency Virus-Serodiscordant Couples.AIDS research and human retroviruses · 2019Article
- Incorporating digital anorectal examinations for anal cancer screening into routine HIV care for men who have sex with men living with HIV: a prospective cohort study.Journal of the International AIDS Society · 2018Article
- Salvage abdominoperineal excisions in recurrent anal cancer--impact of different reconstruction techniques on outcome, morbidity, and complication rates.International journal of colorectal disease · 2016Article
- Cost-effectiveness of screening for anal cancer using regular digital ano-rectal examinations in men who have sex with men living with HIV.Journal of the International AIDS Society · 2016Article
- The role of viral co-infection in HIV-associated non-AIDS-related cancers.Current HIV/AIDS reports · 2015Review
- Establishing an Anal Cancer Screening Program in an Outpatient HIV Clinic: Referral Patterns and Patient Perceptions Survey.Journal of the International Association of Providers of AIDS CareArticle
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
7 authors at 5 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundAnal cancer is a priority health issue in HIV positive men who have sex with men. Anal cancer screening may be aimed at either detecting the precursor lesion (high grade anal intraepithelial neoplasia(HGAIN)) or early anal cancer. To date no qualitative study has explored the views of HIV physicians regarding anal cancer and its screening.
methodsWe conducted indepth interviews with 20 HIV physicians (Infectious diseases, Immunology, Sexual health, General practice) in different settings (hospital, sexual health centres, general practice) from around Australia. Framework analysis was used to identify themes.
resultsHIV physicians viewed anal cancer as a significant health issue and all agreed on the importance of anal cancer screening amongst HIV positive MSM if a valid screening method was available. Barriers for utilizing anal cytology was based primarily on the theme of insufficient evidence (e.g. no studies demonstrating reduction in mortality following screening or effective treatments for HGAIN). Barriers for utilizing DARE for early cancer detection were based on systemic factors (e.g. lack of opportunity, lack of priority, differences in HIV care practices); health provider factors (lack of evidence, difficulty discussing with patients, lack of confidence in DARE) and patient factors (perceived discomfort of DARE for patients, low anal cancer risk awareness). Physicians were willing to consider the idea of patient self-examination and partner-examination although concerns were raised regarding its reliability and issues surrounding partner dynamics.
conclusionsHIV physicians remain ambivalent regarding the most effective means to screen for anal cancer. More research is needed to address the physicians' concerns before anal cancer screening can be implemented into routine HIV care.
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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.