Resolved question:
Std, hpv and anal cancer
Dear Dr.
Please i need an urgent medical consultation regarding the following case. Appreciate your feedback as i really need help and i cant find solid answers to my question here in my country as I am in developed country where medical issues are still far away from best practices.
I am a 36 years old year man. I am divorced since 2 years and have 2 children. After my divorce I had some casual sex in some occasions all with women in a straight manner and with condoms except that I knew a new girl friend since a year ago. We started our sex life since 9 months which was on and off, like 2-3 times per month not on a regular basis as we didn't share the same place. But as she was virgin 33 yrs old women I didn't want to break her virginity, so unfortunately we were practicing anal sex. She is now diagnosed as having anal cancer. And knowing that the main reason of this kind of cancer is hpv transmission through anal sex I have three related questions:
1- Does what we did is surely and definitely the cause of her anal cancer? I struggled on Internet and with local drs, some are saying that it needs at least two years that the HPV infection can build the cancer cells in this area and the normal is 10-20 yrs, so can the cancer cells only be built on these 9 months time?!
2- What is the opportunity that me too can have an anus/pinus cancer or any other kind of cancers because my girlfriend had it already if the cause was an hpv transmission from myself? Does this increase my risks?
3- knowing that there is no analysis to show the hpv that I have or it's type from the hundreds of kinds of hpvs, shouldn't I have sex again ever with any new partner forever in my whole life even in a normal straight sex? If me is the reason for my girl friend to get her anal cancer can I be a source for others for cervical cancer which is more related to hpv infections? Please i don't want to transmit any harmful thing to anyone again. So do I have to stop my sex life forever?
I don't have any kind of symptoms around or on my penus or anus (warts) , but my info that the dangerous kinds of hpvs that cause cancer doesn't have any symptoms except when me or my partner get the cancer?!
My latest STDs analysis showed negative for all of the following: HIV 1 & 2, HCV antibody 3rd generation and VDRL.
To summarize my 3 questions again:
1- am I the definite cause of my girlfriend having her anal cancer?
2- what is the opportunity that in near/medium/long future term I may have any kind of similar cancer if I have an hpv that caused this cancer to my girlfriend?
3- can I have sex again on my life or this will be dangerous to my future partner and may cause her cancer?
Thank you for listening and I will be waiting for an answer to these questions which I hope i can find an answer!
thank you very much
Kind regards
Submitted:
4 Days
Category:
Internal Medicine Specialist
Hello,
Thank you for choosing DoctorSpring.
I understand this can be a really challenging and frustrating times for you and your girlfriend
I will try my best to help you out here.
1. NO. You are definitely not the cause for the anal cancer in your girlfriend. HPV is only one of the risk factor for anal cancer. And it takes years for the cancerous process to being. This involves four steps :
HPV acquisition
HPV persistence (versus viral clearance)
Progression of a persisting infection to a precancerous lesion
Local invasion
All this cannot occur within 9 months.
2. You have the same risk as everyone else. As there is no proof that you have HPV infection. But repeated anal sex and multiple partners would put you in a higher risk category.
3. Again there is not proof that you have HPV. Almost upto 50% of adult individuals can have HPV infection. Almost 90% sexually active individuals will come in contact with HPV in their lifetime. So I do not think this will alter your sex life in an great manner. But you should always stick to condom use. And obviously multiple sexual partners is not without risk for STD and other infections. So you should take that also into consideration. So I do not think you will be 'harming' anyone if you engage in protected sex.
Hope this helps
Feel free to ask followups
Thank you
Thank you for your very helpful answer, please I need clarification about the following:
1. If am "definitely" not the cause of her cancer because of our short term sex life, does this mean accordingly that she got her hpv which caused her cancer from a previous old partner and not me?
2. I understand that I have the risk factor as everyone else, but does having sex my girlfriend whom she has anal cancer and mostly has a dangerous kind of hpv makes her transmitted this dangerous kind of hpv to me?
3. What if I got married once again and my partner will be only "one", should I also be using condom for all my life time even with my new wife?
4. As I am seeking different opinions from whatever trustworthy sources as much as I can, who in your opinion should have the best answers to my questions? An STD specialist, or andrology or oncologists?
Can you please refer me or provide me a list of the best doctors that I can have their another opinion in my case and questions, and please any other trustworthy online clinics that I can contact directly form my home country?
Thanks again and kind regards
Hello,
Thank you for getting back.
1. Anal cancer, just like many other cancer can have many causes. Although the major cause is HPV you can never know for sure unless HPV is tested for. But there is a strong possibility that HPV is the causative agent . In that it is possible that you partner got it from her previous contacts, But this analysis is pointless as we never know for sure.
2. Yes. As I said since you had multiple sexual partners you are at slightly higher risk. But anal cancer by HPV is not like an infectious disease. Even if you get the same HPV your risk for anal cancer remains same as everyone with HPV.
3. No in that case routine condom use is not practical or not needed.
4. You can consult an Oncologist . Also STD / Infectious disease specialists could give you more information. Other online portals are Healthtap, Mediangels etc. Alternatively you can ask a Oncologist here in DoctorSpring itself.
Hope this helps
Feel free to ask followups / clarifications
Can you refer me to an oncologist at doctorspring?
Hello,
You can ask a new specialist consult and post your query.
You can either mention that you need a reply from an Oncologist or choose Oncologist in the dropdown menu.
By the way if you know the stage of your partners anal cancer please mention that too.
Thank you