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What is the cause of colon cancer?

How could anal sex cause anal/colon/rectal cancer?

  • So recently one of my friends told me that anal sex could cause cancer. My question is exactly what I asked: how could that possibly work? It reminds me of the whole "wearing a bra while you sleep could cause breast cancer" claim (which isn't true). I understand that HPV can cause certain types of cancer, but how could anal sex directly cause it? Can just pressure and contact really affect that?

  • Answer:

    No one knows what causes cancer – period, but we do know sex of any kind does not cause any type of cancer. Most cancers have known risk factors. Smoking is a risk for lung and bladder cancers. Starting your period before the age of 12 or menopause after the age of 55 are risk factors for breast cancer. Sun exposure is a risk for skin cancer, etc. etc. However, a risk factor is not the cause. Having one or more risk factors increases your risk for that cancer it doesn’t mean you will get it. Anal sex is a risk factor for anal/rectal cancers due to getting HPV from anal sex. We know this because anal/rectal cancers are the only colon cancers that test positive for HPV and these cancers tend to occur at a much younger age than most colon cancer patients. This is one reason why the HPV vaccine will likely be recommended for males soon and I’m sure the narrow minded people in this country will be in a uproar over it. I also believe at some point sigmoidoscopies will be recommended for high risk groups as a screening exam for these cancers.

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Lol no anel sex does not cause cancer. You get that if someone else has an STD and it can lead to cancer. Like the singer from queen. He was gay and had alot of sex. he got AIDS and it turned into colon cancer. You cant just get cancer like that. the guy would have to have something.

Vida!

The friction does not cause it. However anal cancer (which is different from rectal cancer- anal cancer is squamous cell carcinoma, while rectal cancer is adenocarcinoma) is similar to cervical cancer in that it is generally caused by HPV, which is a sexually transmitted disease. HPV affects the anal canal similar to the way it affects the cervix. However you don't have to have anal sex to get anal cancer. Having had an HPV infection at anytime (even from vaginal sex) is a risk factor. However, anal sex does increase the likelihood that the anal canal would be affected. There is no relationship between anal sex and rectal cancer.

Jamie

andy??? No, there is no "cervix" in your throat, look up anatomy books :) HPV causes cancer of the Cervix in women (muscular entry to the womb) hence the HPV vaccine recently. This is also thought to be responsible for other cancers including prostate and testicular (yes, it is a sexually transmitted disease, which is why PAP smears are not performed on virgins and why cervical cancer is extremely rare in nuns :) ). HPV is also linked to other cancers such as oesophagus and stomach. (no, not due to contact with body fluids in the oesophagus - but due to the spread of HPV though the body). The "cervix" you are refering to for the throat...I think you mean the "cervical spine" right? This is the vertebra (bone) in your neck - the first 7 vertebral bones of the spine are called the "cervical spine" - then you have the thoracic spine and lumbar spine. This is nothing like the female cervix (which is muscular - not bone) and therefore not at all related. The term "cervix" just means "neck" - obvious where this comes from for the spine, and as for female cervix, it means the "neck" of the vagina/womb. HPV is not thought to affect bone by the way - and most bone cancer is actually secondary metastatic spread from another primary site - such as breast cancer which has "gone" to the bones.

angelic markings

Well nothing is really suppose to go up there, especially that big. I've never heard that but I assume that the forceful penetration that is required causes tears in the lining which over time can cause cancer. My theory is coming from what happens when a person doesn't get enough fiber in their diet and their waste has trouble moving through their bowels, which causes damage. I don't know how that develops into cancer but I know that it does. I'm guessing it has something to do with the PH in the intestine.

Takikio

Anal sex does not cause cancer - many respectable medical sites debunk this myth.

su_france2003

i think HPV can only affect your throat because your cervix in the throat is similiar to the cervix of your vagina. i dont really think anal could cause cancer unless the condoms, lube or bacteria could affect the tissue.

andy

this is a question for your doctor, mayoclinic.com/health/anal-cancer/DS00… This is an interesting atricle with some good facts.

ckngbbbls

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