Colon cancer in gay men
Gay and Bisexual Men Are at Higher Risk for These Cancers
Walter Tsang, MD
Medical Reviewer
Castle Connolly Top Medic, Member of American College of Lifestyle Medicine
Walter Tsang, MD, is a board-certified medical oncologist, hematologist, and lifestyle medicine specialist. Inspired by the ancient Eastern philosophy of yang sheng ("nourishing life"), Dr. Tsang has developed a one-of-a-kind whole-person oncology approach that tailors cancer care and lifestyle recommendations to each patients’ biopsychosocial-spiritual circumstances. He partners with patients on their cancer journeys, highlighting empowerment, prevention, holistic wellness, quality of life, supportive care, and realistic goals and expectations. This train model improves clinical outcomes and reduces costs for both patients and the healthcare system.Â
Outside of his busy clinical apply , Tsang has taught various courses at UCLA Center for East West Medicine, Loma Linda University, and California University of Science and Medicine. He is passionate about health knowledge and started an online seminar program to educate cancer survivors about nutrition, exercise, stress management, doze health, and c
Gay and bisexual men face additional health care challenges compared to their heterosexual peers. These comprise health care disparities, increased risk for specific cancers and negative medical experiences. This fact sheet covers:
- Health care disparities
- Issues with support
- Additional cancer risks
- Advice about coming out
Health Care Disparities for Gay and Bisexual Men
Gay and bisexual men may face discrimination and harassment in medical care settings. When appropriate care and treatment are hard to obtain, negative results become more likely. When check-ups and screenings are delayed, cancer can be found in later stages, when it is harder to treat. Some of what can impact care includes:
Lower rates of coverage. Health insurance policies do not always cover unmarried partners. This affects everything from access to care, costs and legal rights fancy visitation.
Discrimination. Health look after providers may display bias against queer and bisexual men. These interactions can make care unpleasant or even dangerous.
Negative experiences with health care providers. Some men to elude or delay medical care due to fear or discomfort.
A Lack of Support
Many gay and
What to know about colorectal cancer in gay men
The notes that colorectal cancer is the third most common type of cancer among people assigned male at birth in the United States. This is regardless of sexual orientation.
However, gay and bisexual people with a penis may be more likely to have certain risk factors that increase their chances of developing colorectal cancer, such as smoking and alcohol consumption. Other exposure factors for colorectal cancer include:
- older age
- a personal or family history of colorectal cancer or polyps
- obesity
- low physical activity
- a diet high in red and processed meats
Gay and bisexual people can also encounter more barriers to receiving healthcare and cancer screening, such as:
- lack of healthcare professional training in regard to health considerations for LGBTQIA+ people
- higher likelihood of experiencing homelessness or not being capable to access health insurance
- fear of discrimination
If someone feels nervous, they may want to get a loved one with them when they talk with a healthcare professional. If they touch that a healthcare professional has not fully understood their healthcare needs, they can consider requesting another appoint
Cancer Risks for Gay and Fluid Men
Gay and bisexual men are at higher risk for certain kinds of cancer. The cancers you should know about are covered here. There are things you can do to help lower your risk for many of these cancers. You may even be able to keep them from ever starting.
Gender words are used here to talk about anatomy and health risk. Please use this information in a way that works best for you and your provider as you communicate about your care.
Lung cancer
Gay and bisexual men are more likely to smoke than heterosexual men. Smoking is the main cause of lung cancer. It's also linked to many other kinds of cancer. Smoking causes serious health problems other than cancer, too, like stroke, lung disease, and heart disease.
If you have HIV, smoking weakens your immune system and reduces your life expectancy a lot. That's even if you have the HIV under supervise .
Anal cancer
Anal cancer is much more likely in queer and bisexual men. The main risk factor for it is having anal sex with men. The risk of anal cancer is even greater if you've been infected with high-risk types of HPV (human papillomavirus). The risk is also higher if you:
Have had many sex