Sexually Transmitted Disease Risk among Cancer Patients

By: Bennett Mathers

 

The relation between cancer and sexually transmitted disease and cancer has a few different facets. For one, cancers of the sexual organs can sometimes have symptoms similar to those that manifest among various sexually transmitted diseases, leading to misdiagnosis one way or the other. Beyond that, there are certain STD risk factors present in patients of certain cancers of the sexual organs.

The relation between the two often lies in the misdiagnosis of cancer as a sexually transmitted disease or vice versa. The mistake is often made with patients of metastasized peritoneal mesothelioma, which tends to spread to the testicles. Manifestation of the disease can be anything from severe pains the sexual organs to visible growth within the testicles. If these symptoms appear before those in the tumor’s primary location, physicians will often first diagnose the ailment as a sexually transmitted disease.

Misdiagnoses aside, there are certain clinical connections between cancer and sexually transmitted diseases that are also relevant. Cervical cancer patients could be at a higher risk of acquiring sexually transmitted diseases due to factors such as the suppressed immune system. In a research study that was conducted in the US, at least forty percent of women had an idea of the human papilloma virus (HPV) that is known to cause cervical cancer. The other 60% were generally unaware. Cancer is a terminology that many have heard about but the relation between viruses that spread cancer and sexually transmitted disease is widely misunderstood.

In the early days, cervical cancer was transmitted mainly through sexual contact. For those who were not sexually active the condition was classified as being quite strange. The condition mainly affected married women and those who were sexually active and probably had many partners. The discovery of the connection between Rabbit Papilloma Virus and cancer of the skin in rabbits led to the conclusion that a sexually transmitted agent was responsible for cervical cancer in females. This discovery can be traced back to 1935 before HPV came in to the limelight in 1980.

 

It is important to recognize the differences between cancer and sexual disease in order to arrive at a correct diagnosis, particularly in the case of cancer where treatment options often vary on the stage of the disease at diagnosis. By identifying the disease early, mesothelioma prognosis can be extended. It is also critical for patients of cancers like cervical cancer to speak with their physician about STD risk factors they may be susceptible to. Knowing the risk can prevent the senseless spread of further infection and preserve lives.
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